Delphi plans layoffs at plant outside Dayton

DAYTON (AP) -- Delphi Corp. plans to lay off nearly 180 hourly workers at its suspension parts plant in suburban Kettering. A union official said the work will be shifted to an Illinois supplier.
Dave Heizer, chairman of Local 755 of the International Union of Electrical Workers, said Delphi is making the cuts because the plant is losing production of shock absorbers for General Motors Corp.'s full-size pickups. Heizer said Thursday that GM decided to send the work to Tenneco Automotive Inc., an auto industry supplier based in Lake Forest, Ill.
The Kettering plant employs 1,957 hourly and 436 salaried workers. Heizer, whose union represents the workers, said 37 hourly workers will be laid off Monday, followed by 80 layoffs Jan. 13 and an additional 60 by the end of January.
GM spokeswoman Renee Rashid-Merem confirmed GM's decision without identifying the supplier. She said it made sense for GM to combine the Kettering work with similar business provided by the other supplier.
Heizer said the layoffs will be permanent. They bring to 930 the number of jobs Delphi plans to cut in the Dayton area by the beginning of February.
If the reductions are completed as planned, Delphi's overall employment in the area, which currently is 9,600, will drop to about 8,700 by the beginning of February.
Delphi is a Troy, Mich.-based auto parts supplier.