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Lansing-Area GM Layoffs Coming Friday

LANSING (WWJ) - A General Motors plant near Lansing is getting ready for some downtime and some cutbacks, starting this week.

WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert says, beginning Friday, hundreds of employees will be laid off as GM shuts down its Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant plant for a month to get ready for new versions of the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave crossover vehicles.

As the automaker announced back in March, when the plant — now on three shifts — reopens June 12, it will have only two shifts. GM is now confirming that will mean 600 job cuts, which is fewer than the 1,100 originally reported.

The Lansing Delta Township plant is winding down production of the GMC Acadia in Delta Township. The new Acadia — which is smaller and on a different platform — will be built at GM's Spring Hill, Tennessee plant, adding 800 jobs there.

The Lansing Delta Township is expected to go back to three shifts early next year, Gilbert reports, and most of those 600 cut job will be restored. Other workers will likely be shifted to other GM plants.

The company has already said it expects more idlings than normal this summer to shift to production of new products. GM has invested close to $600 million in equipment and expansion at the plant.

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