[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 118 (Wednesday, June 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34047-34048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11834]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

[TA-W-60,734]


Primary Staffing Services, Inc. Workers Employed at Pearson 
Artworks a Division of Pearson Education, Inc.York, PA; Notice of 
Negative Determination on Reconsideration

    On May 4, 2007, the Department issued an Affirmative Determination 
Regarding Application for Reconsideration for the workers and former 
workers of the subject firm. The notice was published in the Federal 
Register on May 11, 2007 (72 FR 26848-26849).
    The petition for the workers of Primary Staffing Services, Inc. 
employed at Pearson Artworks, a division of Pearson Education, Inc., 
York, Pennsylvania engaged in computer entry, project management, 
status communication, file delivery, and quality assurance activities 
related to the production of WEB based line art illustrations was 
denied because imports of WEB based line art illustrations did not 
contribute importantly to worker separations at the subject firm and no 
shift of production to a foreign source occurred.
    The petitioner filed a request for reconsideration in which the 
petitioner alleged that Pearson Artworks shifted

[[Page 34048]]

the production of textbook illustrations from York, Pennsylvania to 
Canada, thus causing separations of workers from the subject firm.
    A company official was contacted for clarification in regard of a 
shift in production to Canada. The official stated that there was no 
shift in production of textbook illustration functions from Pearson 
Education, Inc., York, Pennsylvania to Canada in 2006 and January of 
2007. The official emphasized that the reason of decreasing production 
of textbook illustrations at the facility in York, Pennsylvania lies 
behind ``an overall business strategy'' of Pearson Artworks to shift 
its focus away from volume illustrations to more of a research and 
development model.
    The petitioner also disagreed with the previous findings that 
``worker separation at the subject firm was due to a change from manual 
to automated work processes and not to imports or shift in production'' 
and alleged that ``no new automated processes were implemented during 
the course of workers employment that would eliminate their services.''
    The company official informed that contrary to petitioners' 
statements, the workers of the Primary Staffing Services, Inc. were no 
longer needed because Pearson Education, York, Pennsylvania ``developed 
internal process that streamlined the workflow, thus decreasing the 
number of employees needed to perform the tasks of the Company's 
operations in its York office.'' In particular, the official clarified 
that these new processes included Manuscript Maker, which automates the 
creation of art manuscript and visual assets database, Proof Maker and 
Correction script, which provide automated art proofs and corrections, 
Media and new automated shipping methods via FedEx and UPS installed 
computers.
    The investigation on reconsideration supported the findings that 
imports of WEB based line art illustrations did not contribute 
importantly to worker separations at the subject firm and no shift of 
production to a foreign source occurred.

Conclusion

    After reconsideration, I affirm the original notice of negative 
determination of eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance 
for workers and former workers of Primary Staffing Services, Inc., 
workers employed at Pearson Artworks, a division of Pearson Education, 
Inc., York, Pennsylvania.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 8th day of June, 2007.
Linda G. Poole,
Certifying Officer,Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
 [FR Doc. E7-11834 Filed 6-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P