General Motors will temporarily idle five plants early in 2005, which will affect about 10,300 workers, because of an expected oversupply of sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks.
The Associated Press (AP) said the shutdowns are in addition to the elimination of one shift and 900 jobs at GM’s Pontiac Truck Assembly Plant in January, announced on October 19 – the plant builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.
The cuts aim to bring production in line with “market forecasts and current demand,” GM spokesman Dan Flores told the news agency.
AP said that Flores pointed out GM is increasing production at some other plants. It announced on Wednesday it was investing $250 million in its Shreveport, Louisiana, truck plant to build the Hummer H3 SUV.
To the end of September, GM’s 2004 U.S. vehicle sales were up 1% to 3.5 million.
According to the Associated Press, Flores said the temporary shutdowns involve 3,400 hourly workers at the Janesville, Wisconsin, assembly plant, the weeks of January 3, March 21 and 28, and April 4; 2,500 hourly workers at the Arlington, Texas, assembly plant, the weeks of January 3 and 10 and March 14; 2,200 hourly workers at the Lansing, Michigan, assembly plant, the week of January 3; 1,900 workers at the Oklahoma City assembly plant, the weeks of January 3 and 10 (it will reopen with a slower line speed and undetermined long-term cuts); and 300 hourly workers at the Lansing Craft Centre, the week of January 3.
