DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-55,980

MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION
CORPORATE RESEARCH GROUP
CHILLICOTHE, OHIO

Certification Regarding Eligibility to Apply for
Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended (19 USC 2273), the Department of Labor herein presents the
results of an investigation regarding certification of eligibility
to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
In order to make an affirmative determination and issue a
certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment
Assistance, the group eligibility requirements in either paragraph
(a)(2)(A) or (a)(2)(B) of Section 222 of the Trade Act must be met.
It is determined in this case that the requirements of (a)(2)(B) of
Section 222 have been met.
The investigation was initiated on November 12, 2004 in
response to a petition filed by company official on behalf of
workers at MeadWestvaco Corporation, Corporate Research Group,
Chillicothe, Ohio. The workers of the subject firm were engaged in
administrative support and research & development activities (more
specifically analytical services, pilot plant production trials,
machine diagnostics, materials engineering, R&D in papermaking,
fiber development, coating and finishing, specialty and saturating
papers, and packaging).
The worker group was in direct support of an affiliated
facility (MeadWestvaco Corporation, Forestry Division, Rumford,
Maine (TA-W-54,346)), whose workers are under an existing Trade
Adjustment Assistance certification.
The investigation revealed that Corporate Research Group
employment declined as a result of the increased imports of its
affiliated facility.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that increases of imports of articles
like or directly competitive with products produced at MeadWestvaco
Corporation contributed importantly to the total or partial
separation of workers and to the decline in sales or production at
that firm or subdivision. In accordance with the provisions of the
Act, I make the following certification:
"Workers employed by MeadWestvaco Corporation, Corporate
Research Group, Chillicothe, Ohio, who became totally or
partially separated from employment on or after November 11,
2003 through two years from the date of certification are
eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223
of the Trade Act of 1974.
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 20th day of December 2004.

/s/ Elliott S. Kushner

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ELLIOTT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance