SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — General Motors Corp. has laid off 45 workers from its Shreveport assembly plant, less than a month after 68 other workers were idled.
The 45 workers, whose jobs end Friday, are skilled trades employees such as pipefitters who keep the production lines running and not employees who build the vehicles, said GM spokeswoman Traci Murray.
Murray said the layoffs were due to the economic downturn and slow vehicle sales.
She also said she does not foresee more layoffs since the company is preparing to roll out its buyout offers to employees. She said she could not discuss the deadline for employees to accept buyouts.
The United Auto Workers were notified of the latest round of layoffs, Murray said. UAW local president Morgan Johnson declined comment.
The plant, which has about 1,200 hourly workers, manufactures the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and Hummer H3.
Earlier this year, GM reported a 2007 loss of $38.7 billion. The same day, the company announced it would offer a new round of buyouts to its 74,000 hourly employees who are represented by the UAW.
