A five-year veteran at AAR Summa, George Nunn knows that politics can sometimes come into play with government bids — but what he doesn’t understand is why he’s losing his job so the Army can purchase a similar product from a Canadian company.

“The aggravating part is the lack of communication between the government, the Army, the company and employees,” Nunn said Wednesday, before attending a seminar to learn about assistance options available for displaced workers. “I just don’t understand why you’d write a law, and get a product from outside the U.S., when it’s harming American workers.”

With the AAR Summa plant in Cullman set to shut down in July — taking 200 jobs with it — the state Rapid Response team arrived in town Wednesday and will stay through today to provide information to employees who will be laid off when the plant closes.

The Summa plant has been open since 1997, though the loss of its main Army manufacturing contract earlier this year has forced company officials to shut down the local location. Alabama legislators are still fighting the Army’s decision to sign a separate contract for a similar product with a Canadian company.

Summa employees were bussed to Cullman city hall and the Cullman County museum for two sessions Wednesday, and the informational meetings will continue today with a final shift brought into city hall between 6:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.

The Rapid Response team, which falls under the Alabama Workforce Development Division, is called in to assist with large-scale layoffs and provide information to affected employees. Everything from unemployment benefits, to state workforce initiatives, will be discussed.

“The Rapid Response Team provides on-site assistance to workers affected by layoffs or closings,” ADECA public information specialist Russell Sellers explained via e-mail. “The team meets individually and in group sessions to explain how to file for unemployment compensation and what options are available for continued health insurance. Workers also receive information about pension benefits, options for job training programs, job search assistance through Alabama Career Centers and credit counseling.”

Cullman County Economic Development Agency Assistant Director Dale Greer said the team’s presence is typical for layoffs this size, and he hopes it will be a service to those affected.

“They talk about what benefits they’re eligible for, since they’re being displaced, and they go over some of the on-the-job training options out there,” he said. “It brings a lot of information, for folks who may have never dealt with this before.”

For Nunn, he says he’s happy for the help — but what he needs more than anything is a new job.

“I have some resumes out, so we’ll see,” he said. “That’s all you can really do.”

* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.