Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Office of Trade and Labor Affairs; Request for Comments on Labor Capacity-Building Efforts Under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, 50057-50058 [E8-19608]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 165 / Monday, August 25, 2008 / Notices 6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: 3,703 annual burden hours. If additional information is required contact: Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Patrick Henry Building, Suite 1600, 601 D Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530. Dated: August 19, 2008. Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice. [FR Doc. E8–19594 Filed 8–22–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410–09–P DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of the Secretary Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Office of Trade and Labor Affairs; Request for Comments on Labor Capacity-Building Efforts Under the Dominican Republic—Central America—United States Free Trade Agreement Office of the Secretary, Labor, and Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Request for comments from the public. ebenthall on PRODPC60 with NOTICES AGENCIES: SUMMARY: This notice is a request for comments from the public to assist the Secretary of Labor and the United States Trade Representative in preparing a report on labor capacity-building efforts under Chapter 16 (‘‘the Labor Chapter’’) and Annex 16.5 of the Dominican Republic—Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (‘‘the CAFTA–DR’’), as well as efforts made by the CAFTA–DR countries to implement the recommendations contained in the report entitled ‘‘The Labor Dimension in Central America and the Dominican Republic—Building on Progress: Strengthening Compliance and Enhancing Capacity’’ (‘‘the White Paper’’). This report is required under the Dominican Republic—Central America—United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act \(‘‘the CAFTA–DR Implementation Act’’). The reporting function and the responsibility for soliciting public comments required under this Act were assigned to the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative. DATES: Written comments are due no later than 5 p.m. September 22, 2008. ADDRESSES: Persons submitting comments are strongly advised to make VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:18 Aug 22, 2008 Jkt 214001 such submissions by electronic mail to the following address: FRFTACAFTA@dol.gov. Submissions by facsimile may be sent to: Gregory K. Schoepfle, Director, Office of Trade and Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor at (202) 693–4851 (this is not a toll-free number). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory K. Schoepfle, Director, Office of Trade and Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S–5303, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone (202) 693–4900 (this is not a toll-free number). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Background During the legislative approval process for the CAFTA–DR, the Administration and the Congress reached an understanding on the need to support labor capacity-building efforts linked to recommendations identified in the White Paper of the Working Group of the Vice Ministers Responsible for Trade and Labor in the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic. A total of $130 million was appropriated in support of labor and environment capacitybuilding in FY 2005 through FY 2008, with an additional $40 million anticipated for FY 2009. Areas of focus were identified through a cooperative process and dialogue between the United States and its CAFTA–DR partners (Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) as envisaged by the Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 of the CAFTA–DR. The multi-year assistance effort focuses on building the capacity of the ministries of labor to more effectively enforce labor laws, training labor inspectors, developing and distributing public awareness materials, assessing the information technology needs of the ministries of labor, and providing technical assistance to the labor justice system in Central America and the Dominican Republic. For more information on these initiatives, see the full text of the CAFTA–DR and the White Paper as well as other relevant fact sheets and reports posted on the respective Web sites of the Office of the United States Trade Representative, https://www.ustr.gov/ Trade_Agreements/Regional/CAFTA/ Section_Index.html, and the ILO Subregional Office for Central America, Haiti, Panama and the Dominican Republic, https://web.oit.or.cr/ (follow the link to: Sector IV, Dialogo Social, and then link to: Verification of the PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 50057 White Paper, Central America and the Dominican Republic). Under section 403(a) of the CAFTA– DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4111(a), the President must report biennially to the Congress on the progress made by the CAFTA–DR countries in implementing the labor obligations and the labor capacitybuilding provisions found in the Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 and implementing the recommendations contained in the White Paper. Section 403(a)(4) requires the President to establish a mechanism to solicit public comments on the matters described in section 403(a)(3)(D) of the CAFTA–DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4111(a)(4). By Proclamation, the President delegated the reporting function and the responsibility for soliciting public comments under section 403(a) of the CAFTA–DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4111(a), to the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative. Proclamation No. 8272, 73 FR 38,297 (June 30, 2008). This notice serves to request public comments as required by this section. 2. Information Sought The Department of Labor is seeking comments on the following topics as required under Section 404(a)(3)(D) of the CAFTA–DR Implementation Act: 1. Capacity-building efforts by the United States government envisaged by Article 16.5 of the CAFTA–DR Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5; 2. Efforts by the United States government to facilitate full implementation of the White Paper recommendations; and 3. Efforts made by the CAFTA–DR countries to comply with Article 16.5 of the Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 and to fully implement the White Paper recommendations, including progress made by the CAFTA–DR countries in affording to workers internationallyrecognized worker rights through improved capacity. 3. Requirements for Comments This notice requests comments in response to a general solicitation to the public. Written comments may be submitted by 5 p.m. September 22, 2008. To ensure prompt and full consideration of comments, it is strongly recommended that comments be submitted by electronic mail to the following e-mail address: FRFTACAFTA@dol.gov. Persons making comments by e-mail should use the following subject line: Comments on CAFTA–DR Labor Capacity Building Efforts. Documents should be submitted E:\FR\FM\25AUN1.SGM 25AUN1 50058 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 165 / Monday, August 25, 2008 / Notices in MSWord format. Supporting documentation submitted as spreadsheets is acceptable in Excel format. Persons who make comments by e-mail should not provide separate cover letters; information that might appear in a cover letter should be included in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent possible, any attachments to the comments should be included in the same file as the comments themselves, not as separate files. In the event that e-mail comments are not possible, comments should be sent by facsimile to (202) 693–4851 (this is not a toll-free number). Written comments will be placed in a file open to public inspection at the Department of Labor, Room S–5303, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. An appointment to review the file must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance and may be made by calling (202) 693–4900 (this is not a tollfree number). Signed at Washington, DC on this 19th day of August 2008. Lawrence W. Casey, Associate Deputy Under Secretary for International Affairs, Bureau of International Labor Affairs. [FR Doc. E8–19608 Filed 8–22–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–28–P DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA–W–58,624] ebenthall on PRODPC60 with NOTICES Fairchild Semiconductor International, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Manpower, Inc., Mountain Top, PA; Amended Revised Determination on Remand In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2273), and Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974 (26 U.S.C. 2813), as amended, the Department of Labor (Department) issued a Notice of Revised Determination on Remand on July 22, 2008. The Department’s Notice of determination will soon be published in the Federal Register. At the request of the State agency, the Department reviewed the Revised Determination on Remand for workers of the subject firm. The Department determined that, while the July 22, 2008 certification set the impact date at January 11, 2005, one year prior to the date on the petition, the previous certification covering workers of the Mountain Top, Pennsylvania location of the subject firm, TA–W–53,335, did not expire until almost 11 months later, on VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:18 Aug 22, 2008 Jkt 214001 December 2, 2005. To avoid an overlap in worker group coverage for the Mountain Top, Pennsylvania location, the Revised Determination on Remand is being amended to change the impact date from January 11, 2005 to December 3, 2005. As a result of this amendment, Fairchild Semiconductor International, Mountain Top, Pennsylvania workers separated between January 11, 2005 and December 2, 2005, will continue to be covered under the certification issued in TA–W–53,335, and will not be covered under the certification issued in TA–W– 58,624. New information also provided by the State agency shows that leased workers of Manpower, Inc. were employed onsite at the Mountain Top, Pennsylvania location of Fairchild Semiconductor International. The Department has determined that these workers were engaged in various support activities and were sufficiently under the control of the subject firm to be considered leased workers during the relevant period. Accordingly, the Department is amending the Revised Determination on Remand to reflect the amended certification period and to include all on-site workers under the control of Fairchild Semiconductor International who were adversely affected. The amended notice applicable to TA–W–58,624 is hereby issued as follows: ‘‘All workers of Fairchild Semiconductor International, Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, who became totally or partially separated from employment on or after December 3, 2005, through July 22, 2010, are eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are also eligible to apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974’’; and ‘‘All leased workers of Manpower, Inc. working on-site at Fairchild Semiconductor International, Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, who became totally or partially separated from employment on or after January 11, 2005, through July 22, 2010, are eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are also eligible to apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974.’’ Signed at Washington, DC, this 6th day of August 2008. Linda G. Poole, Certifying Officer, Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance. [FR Doc. E8–19604 Filed 8–22–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Docket No. OSHA–2008–0029] Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) and ACCSH Work Groups; Meeting Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Announcement of a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) and ACCSH Work Groups. AGENCY: SUMMARY: ACCSH Work Groups will meet September 9–10, 2008, and ACCSH will meet September 11–12, 2008, in Washington, DC. DATES: ACCSH Work Groups: ACCSH Work Groups will meet September 9–10, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (See the Work Group Schedule information in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.). ACCSH: ACCSH will meet Thursday, September 11, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, September 12, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Submission of comments, requests to speak to ACCSH and requests for special accommodation: Comments, requests to speak and requests for special accommodation must be submitted (postmarked, sent, received) by September 2, 2008. ADDRESSES: ACCSH and ACCSH Work Group Meetings: ACCSH and ACCSH Work Group Meetings will be held in Room N–3437A–D at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Submission of comments, requests to speak at the ACCSH or ACCSH Work Group meetings: Interested parties may submit comments and requests to speak: Electronically: You may submit materials, including attachments, electronically at www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the on-line instructions for submissions. Facsimile (FAX): If your submission, including attachments is not longer than 10 pages, you may fax it to the OSHA Docket Office at: (202) 693–1648. Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service: Submit three copies of your submissions to the OSHA Docket Office, Room N–2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; FAX (202) 693–1648. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are E:\FR\FM\25AUN1.SGM 25AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 165 (Monday, August 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50057-50058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19608]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Office of Trade and Labor 
Affairs; Request for Comments on Labor Capacity-Building Efforts Under 
the Dominican Republic--Central America--United States Free Trade 
Agreement

AGENCIES: Office of the Secretary, Labor, and Office of the United 
States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Request for comments from the public.

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

SUMMARY: This notice is a request for comments from the public to 
assist the Secretary of Labor and the United States Trade 
Representative in preparing a report on labor capacity-building efforts 
under Chapter 16 (``the Labor Chapter'') and Annex 16.5 of the 
Dominican Republic--Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement 
(``the CAFTA-DR''), as well as efforts made by the CAFTA-DR countries 
to implement the recommendations contained in the report entitled ``The 
Labor Dimension in Central America and the Dominican Republic--Building 
on Progress: Strengthening Compliance and Enhancing Capacity'' (``the 
White Paper''). This report is required under the Dominican Republic--
Central America--United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 
[bs](``the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act''). The 
reporting function and the responsibility for soliciting public 
comments required under this Act were assigned to the Secretary of 
Labor, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative.

DATES: Written comments are due no later than 5 p.m. September 22, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Persons submitting comments are strongly advised to make 
such submissions by electronic mail to the following address: 
FRFTACAFTA@dol.gov. Submissions by facsimile may be sent to: Gregory K. 
Schoepfle, Director, Office of Trade and Labor Affairs, U.S. Department 
of Labor at (202) 693-4851 (this is not a toll-free number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory K. Schoepfle, Director, Office 
of Trade and Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room S-5303, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone (202) 693-
4900 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    During the legislative approval process for the CAFTA-DR, the 
Administration and the Congress reached an understanding on the need to 
support labor capacity-building efforts linked to recommendations 
identified in the White Paper of the Working Group of the Vice 
Ministers Responsible for Trade and Labor in the countries of Central 
America and the Dominican Republic. A total of $130 million was 
appropriated in support of labor and environment capacity-building in 
FY 2005 through FY 2008, with an additional $40 million anticipated for 
FY 2009.
    Areas of focus were identified through a cooperative process and 
dialogue between the United States and its CAFTA-DR partners (Costa 
Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and 
Nicaragua) as envisaged by the Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 of the 
CAFTA-DR. The multi-year assistance effort focuses on building the 
capacity of the ministries of labor to more effectively enforce labor 
laws, training labor inspectors, developing and distributing public 
awareness materials, assessing the information technology needs of the 
ministries of labor, and providing technical assistance to the labor 
justice system in Central America and the Dominican Republic.
    For more information on these initiatives, see the full text of the 
CAFTA-DR and the White Paper as well as other relevant fact sheets and 
reports posted on the respective Web sites of the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, https://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/
Regional/CAFTA/Section_Index.html, and the ILO Subregional Office for 
Central America, Haiti, Panama and the Dominican Republic, https://
web.oit.or.cr/ (follow the link to: Sector IV, Dialogo Social, and then 
link to: Verification of the White Paper, Central America and the 
Dominican Republic).
    Under section 403(a) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 
4111(a), the President must report biennially to the Congress on the 
progress made by the CAFTA-DR countries in implementing the labor 
obligations and the labor capacity-building provisions found in the 
Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 and implementing the recommendations 
contained in the White Paper. Section 403(a)(4) requires the President 
to establish a mechanism to solicit public comments on the matters 
described in section 403(a)(3)(D) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act, 
19 U.S.C. 4111(a)(4).
    By Proclamation, the President delegated the reporting function and 
the responsibility for soliciting public comments under section 403(a) 
of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4111(a), to the Secretary 
of Labor, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative. 
Proclamation No. 8272, 73 FR 38,297 (June 30, 2008). This notice serves 
to request public comments as required by this section.

2. Information Sought

    The Department of Labor is seeking comments on the following topics 
as required under Section 404(a)(3)(D) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation 
Act:
    1. Capacity-building efforts by the United States government 
envisaged by Article 16.5 of the CAFTA-DR Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5;
    2. Efforts by the United States government to facilitate full 
implementation of the White Paper recommendations; and
    3. Efforts made by the CAFTA-DR countries to comply with Article 
16.5 of the Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 and to fully implement the 
White Paper recommendations, including progress made by the CAFTA-DR 
countries in affording to workers internationally-recognized worker 
rights through improved capacity.

3. Requirements for Comments

    This notice requests comments in response to a general solicitation 
to the public. Written comments may be submitted by 5 p.m. September 
22, 2008. To ensure prompt and full consideration of comments, it is 
strongly recommended that comments be submitted by electronic mail to 
the following e-mail address: FRFTACAFTA@dol.gov. Persons making 
comments by e-mail should use the following subject line: Comments on 
CAFTA-DR Labor Capacity Building Efforts. Documents should be submitted

[[Page 50058]]

in MSWord format. Supporting documentation submitted as spreadsheets is 
acceptable in Excel format. Persons who make comments by e-mail should 
not provide separate cover letters; information that might appear in a 
cover letter should be included in the comments themselves. Similarly, 
to the extent possible, any attachments to the comments should be 
included in the same file as the comments themselves, not as separate 
files. In the event that e-mail comments are not possible, comments 
should be sent by facsimile to (202) 693-4851 (this is not a toll-free 
number). Written comments will be placed in a file open to public 
inspection at the Department of Labor, Room S-5303, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. An appointment to review the file 
must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance and may be made by 
calling (202) 693-4900 (this is not a toll-free number).

    Signed at Washington, DC on this 19th day of August 2008.
Lawrence W. Casey,
Associate Deputy Under Secretary for International Affairs, Bureau of 
International Labor Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8-19608 Filed 8-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P

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