All hourly GM workers will be offered a buyout

General Motors Corp. will offer buyouts to all of its hourly employees, a spokesman confirmed today, as the troubled automaker continues to slash costs.

GM spokesman Tony Sapienza said the buyouts will mainly target GM’s 22,000 retirement-eligible hourly employees, though any union employee can take the offer.

News of the buyouts first broke on Monday. A union official told The Associated Press then that GM would offer $20,000 in cash and a $25,000 car voucher for workers who retire early and those who simply leave the company. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because workers were not yet notified of the packages.

Workers are to receive details of the buyouts Friday.

For more information, see Wednesday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.