GM to start U.S. layoff notices as it provides job transfers

General Motors on Friday stated it is starting to send official notices to U.S. government agencies of its plan to end production at auto plants and eliminate thousands of jobs as it shrinks passenger car production in North America.

The automaker stated 2,800 hourly active U.S. workers at four American plants that will end production next year are qualified for new jobs at other plants.

GM stated it presently has 2,700 current open positions at seven plants located in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas, with about 1,000 of those open jobs at an assembly plant in Flint, Michigan.

GM stated over 1,100 U.S. employees at plants losing production have already volunteered to shift to other GM U.S. plants, where as 1,200 are eligible to retire.

With normal attrition rates, a GM spokesman stated the company is confident that all affected hourly employees will be eligible for another job if willing to shift to another plant.

GM stated many salaried employees at plants losing production “will have opportunities at other GM locations.”

The official layoff notices will start going to government agencies on Friday and will continue into next year, GM stated.