As the first-generation GMC Acadia officially exits production this year, after an extended lease on life as a “limited” model, General Motors announced it would lay off 1,100 workers from the Lansing Delta Township assembly plant. However, 500 of those workers will be coming back next year, according to Reuters.
GM will reportedly rehire 500 workers as the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse and 2018 Buick Enclave ramp up production at the facility. UAW leaders were also confident the layoffs would be short lived, as the plant lobbies for a third vehicle to be produced at the plant, potentially a Cadillac crossover.
In a statement, GM said the 500 rehires will provide “the company flexibility to meet market demand,” as crossovers and other utility vehicles continue to eat into passenger car sales.
Most recently, GM also announced it would add 220 new jobs at the Romulus, Michigan powertrain plant. Specifically, in order to boost production of the 10-speed automatic transmission, which will begin to trickle into more GM products in 2018.
However, the added jobs aren’t offset by the automaker’s passenger car plants. As sales of the Chevrolet Cruze, Buick LaCrosse and other cars fall stagnant, GM continues to cut into positions at each vehicle’s respective origin site. The Lordstown, Ohio, and Lansing Grand River, Michigan, plants saw their third shifts cut, shedding 2,000 jobs in the process this year. The Detroit-Hamtramck plant, which builds the LaCrosse and Cadillac CT6, canceled plans for a second shift and cut nearly 1,300 jobs as well.
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That’s good to hear.