Dan River workers may receive help

By Bernard Baker

Published: July 21, 2008

The Department of Labor has said it will reconsider its earlier decision to deny retraining benefits to some of the last of Dan River Inc.’s employees.

Dan River asked the Labor Department to revisit the issue after providing additional information about these workers, Calvin Barnhardt, company spokesman, said Monday.

He said the 150 employees, who were hourly and salaried, were involved in “final light-manufacturing and assembly of retail products.”

The Labor Department turned down the request for Trade Act benefits June 16. The department said the workers were in production areas not covered by the act.

Barnhardt said the decision to look at the information again is potentially good news. Dan River found out Monday that the case will get reviewed.

“What I don’t understand is whether this will trigger another 30-day period for input or whether this is published as information only,” he said. “I guess we’ll have to stay tuned.”

Both U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, R-5th, and U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., were asked to see what they can do.

Goode wrote several letters to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao and other officials. The congressman said he told the Labor Department the work being done at Dan River was manufacturing and required employees to train their overseas replacements.

“I hope they will take a close look at it and that (the workers get) the Trade Act benefits,” Goode said. “I hope it has a favorable conclusion.”

Webb was asked to get involved at the request of the union representing these workers.

Contact Bernard Baker at or (434) 791-7986.