General Motors has shut down third shift production at its Lansing Grand River Assembly plant which produces the Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac ATS and CTS . Decreasing sales of those models prompted the layoffs, which were announced in November of 2016.
The last operating day for the shift was Friday, January 13, 2017. The shutdown affects nearly 800 workers at the plant. Erin Davis, General Motors Plant Communications Manager confirmed the shift ending.
General Motors says that some seniority employees, will be going to the Lansing Delta Township plant. The company is currently working through the process of determining which third shift employees will be moving to new positions on the first or second shift at Lansing Grand River, and which will be transferred to Delta Township.
The layoffs will affect team members with lower seniority, employees who are part of GM's temporary workforce, who help cover vacations and sick leaves, and flexible employees.
GM is taking two weeks to reconfigure the shifts at the Grand River Assembly plant. They will produce a lower number of vehicles while people get reassigned to different teams, shifts, or facilities. Once the reassigned employees have learned new jobs on different teams, the plant will ramp back up to normal volume.
GM will be making changes to the plant in the coming weeks and months, including expanding the body shop and putting in new tooling for future product.
There is no timeline at this point for the third shift coming back online. GM says that production responds to market demand; if the company changes volume requirements, the plant could add another shift if necessary to meet increased market demand.
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