As planned, GM to end 3rd shift at Lansing plant, cut 1,000 jobs

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Corp. will end a third shift by the end of the year at its assembly plant near Lansing and lay off about 1,000 workers, the company said Monday.

The plant, which makes the Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia crossovers, has been operating on three shifts to meet initial demand for the new products, said company spokesman Tom Wickham.

“We said at the beginning this would be a temporary measure,” said Wickham, who added that GM is trying to manage its inventory to keep enough vehicles on dealer lots without having so many that discounts would be needed to sell them.

The plant, in suburban Delta Township, has enough flexibility on the remaining two shifts that it can produce enough vehicles to satisfy demand, Wickham said.

“Demand is not slackening,” Wickham said, adding that the Enclave is sitting on dealer lots only for a couple of weeks.

The plant, which employs about 3,300 hourly workers, makes the crossover vehicles, which are built on car platforms and are more efficient and maneuverable than truck-based sport utility vehicles.

Employees were told of the layoffs on Monday. The company said 510 low-seniority full-time workers and 497 temporary employees would be laid off. Wickham would not say whether the third shift could be reinstated.