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November 8, 2008
Local GM workers said they thought it would be much worse.
So while General Motors Corp.'s announcement Friday that as many as 700 workers could be laid off early next year was not good, many workers took the news stoically.
"We didn't know what it would be, but we knew something was coming," said Dan Duquette, a 30-year GM employee at Lansing Delta Township who installs glass on the Buick Enclaves, Saturn Outlooks and GMC Acadias made there.
The Detroit automaker reported Friday it lost $2.5 billion during the third quarter that ended in September. It said it plans to chop 3,600 jobs companywide, including eliminating a shift at the Lansing Grand River plant and laying off workers at the Lansing Delta Township plant as it slows production there.
The Lansing Grand River move will idle 300 to 400, while GM said the production slowdown in Delta Township could result in as many as 300 layoffs.
Bad as that is, workers heard rumors things would be much worse. Unsubstantiated reports circulating around the plant and posted on online message boards included talk of a bankruptcy filing by the nation's No. 1 carmaker.
Many workers leaving their jobs Friday seemed to take the news in stride.
For some, the official word came as relief after days of speculation. Others said the layoffs, while disappointing, made sense.
"With the contraction of sales, it's kind of expected. You can't build cars if you can't sell them," said Mike Shaffer, 54, a training scheduler at Lansing Grand River assembly plant. "It's outside our control."
Other workers said they understood that in a shaky economy, many consumers aren't able or willing to shell out money for luxury vehicles, such as the Cadillac CTS, STS and SRX made at Lansing Grand River.
"We build a high-dollar car, and today's economy the way it is, I'm surprised something hasn't happened before this," said Don Ettinger, a 25-year GM employee.
Some said the layoffs wouldn't only affect those who are idled.
"I'll probably have to go back to second shift," said Jennifer Barrett, a Lansing Delta Township worker who has been with GM for eight years.
But, she said, the news wasn't as bad as it could have been.
"A lot of people thought it would be worse, that there would be more cuts," she said.
Lansing State Journal business writer Kathryn Prater contributed to this report.
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