[NfamousZ24]

GM to lay off 340 workers at SUV plant

MORAINE, Ohio — General Motors Corp. plans to lay off about 340 of the 2,250 production workers at its assembly plant in this Dayton suburb next year because of expected softening in demand for the midsize sport utility vehicles the plant makes.
Layoffs will start in the first quarter and continue through mid-2008 while cutting production from 58 SUVS to 50 an hour, Jessica Peck, spokeswoman for the GM Moraine plant, said Wednesday.
GM told members of the International Union of Electronic Workers-Communications Workers of America Local 798 at Moraine in October that production cuts were coming, based on GM's market forecasts, Peck said. Union members were informed on Wednesday of the number of layoffs expected, she said.
GM has plans to keep making the GMC Envoy, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender with the two shifts at the plant, company spokesman Tom Wickham said.
GM Moraine currently has about 2,500 employees at the plant, including the 2,250 hourly production employees.
A message seeking comment was left for Local 798.

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