It seems there continues to be many opinons about the future of Alcoa in Rockdale.The topic of conversation can be heard all over Rockdale and surrounding towns. One recent event brings more confusion to the topic of Run it, Sell it, or Scrap it.

I understand the Union received a notice of the intent of Alcoa to contract out both production and craftwork associated with a possible restart of pot lines 7 and 8. This brings forward the topic of contracting out the bargaining unit work being performed on those lines.

Alcoa, why would you contract out bargaining unit work when you are paying laid off steelworkers Supplemental Unemployment Benefits? Would this not be like a double payment to perform the work, especially when you have qualified employees at home who are more that capable of performing the needed work in an efficient cost effective manner?

As politicians on both sides of the aisle point fingers at each other on why the unemployment rate is so high in the United States, maybe it is time to look at the reason. The reluctance to reinvest in the manufacturing base in the United States has brought forth this high rate of unemployment, in which we may see no decline unless someone decides to reinvest in the American worker.

Within the concept of Run, Sell or Scrap it, I would hope that Alcoa chooses to reinvest in the Alcoa Rockdale Operations Smelter and RUN it.

David Edmonds, Member Local 4895, Cameron