GM to Lay Off Several Hundred Employees

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GM spokesman Robert Herta said he couldn't give an exact figure, but the world's biggest automaker plans to cut fewer than 500 workers at 30 locations across the United States, including factories and engineering centers.

The cuts represent around 1.3 percent of GM's U.S. salaried work force of 36,000. The company has said it plans to cut 7 percent of its salaried work force this year, so more cuts are on the way.

GM shares rose 2 cents to $22.95 in premarket trading.

Detroit-based GM announced a restructuring plan last fall in the face of mounting losses. Under the plan, GM wants to cut 30,000 U.S. hourly workers and close 12 facilities by 2008. GM lost $10.6 billion in 2005, largely because of declining sales and rising costs in North America.

The layoffs are GM's second major jobs-related announcement in a week. GM on Wednesday said it would offer buyouts to its U.S. hourly workers of between $35,000 and $140,000 as part of the plan to cut its hourly work force. GM currently has 113,000 hourly workers. Salaried workers aren't eligible for those buyouts.

GM's severance packages vary by position and level of experience, but employees generally receive one month of severance pay for each year of service at the automaker up to a maximum of 15 months. They also will continue to receive health benefits and will be eligible for outplacement assistance during that time, Herta said. Salaried workers with company vehicles will be able to keep those vehicles for a period of time.

"We're trying our best to treat these impacted individuals with dignity and respect," Herta said.

GM has been steadily shrinking over the last few years as U.S. demand for its vehicles has fallen. The company had 44,000 salaried workers in 2000. GM reduced its salaried payroll by around 2,000 workers last year.

This is the second round of cuts to GM's white-collar work force this year. The automaker laid off 500 contract employees in January, many of them engineers and designers at its technical center in Warren. Contract employees do work for GM but are employed by another company. Tuesday's layoffs only included GM salaried workers.

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