[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 54499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27211]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration
[TA-W-34,779]


Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England Railroad, Bethlehem, PA; 
Notice of Revised Determination on Reopening

    On August 19, 1998, the Department issued a Negative Determination 
Regarding Eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance, 
applicable to workers and former workers of the Pennsylvania, Bethlehem 
& New England (PBNE) Railroad, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The notice was 
published in the Federal Register on September 10, 1998 (63 FR 48524).
    By letter of September 8, 1998, the United Transportation Union 
requested administrative reconsideration regarding the Department's 
denial. New information provided by the Union and confirmed by the 
company indicates that the Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England 
Railroad is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, 
and the railroad was providing transportation services to the Coke Oven 
Division of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. As stated in the August 
19, 1998 Notice of Negative Determination, workers at Philadelphia, 
Bethlehem & New England Railroad ``may be certified only if their 
separation was caused importantly by a reduced demand for their 
services from a parent company, a firm otherwise related to the subject 
firm by ownership, or a firm related by control.'' Further, ``the 
reduction in demand for services must originate at a production 
facility whose workers independently meet the statutory criteria for 
certification, and the reduction must directly relate to the product 
impacted by imports.''
    Workers at Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Coke Oven Division in 
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania were certified eligible to apply for trade 
adjustment assistance on March 24, 1998 (TA-W-34,245). Workers at 
Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England Railroad provided transportation 
services to the Bethlehem Coke Oven Division in Bethlehem, 
Pennsylvania. Thus, since there is an existing certification for 
eligibility for trade adjustment assistance benefits for workers at a 
production facility which is affiliated by ownership with the 
Pennsylvania, Bethlehem & New England Railroad, the test for 
certification has been met. The workers are not separately identifiable 
by product line.

Conclusion

    After careful review of the additional facts obtained on reopening, 
I conclude that increased imports contributed importantly to the total 
or partial separation of workers of the Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New 
England Railroad, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In accordance with the 
provisions of the Act, I make the following certification:

    All workers of the Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England 
Railroad of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, who became totally or partially 
separated from employment on or after July 13, 1997 are eligible to 
apply for worker adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the 
Trade Act of 1974.

    Signed in Washington, DC this 24th day of September 1998.
Grant D. Beale,
Acting Director, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
[FR Doc. 98-27211 Filed 10-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M