Its a start on eliminating the jobs bank altogether
GM, UAW agree to trim jobs bank
All of the workers, who receive full pay though off the job because the company eliminated their full-time positions, will be offered the options to retrain or relocate, or take buyouts or early retirement packages the same as those offered workers last year when GM eliminated
34,410 jobs from its hourly workforce.Advertisement GM has said that move helped the automaker reduce its controversial jobs bank by about 75%. Analysts now estimate that the jobs bank, before this latest offer, includes about 2,000 people.
Workers must choose a new job or separation offer, or they would be laid off without pay.
The offers were rolled out to 300 skilled trades workers in Lansing Local 652 and to 85 in Flint Local 599 within the last couple of weeks.
Beyond offers for early retirement and buyouts, workers also may apply to be placed in open skilled-trades jobs, be retrained in other trades or take a production job.
Workers may apply for jobs nearby or elsewhere in the country.
GM is offering relocation assistance worth up to $67,000 to anyone willing to relocate to a plant more than 50 miles away from his or her current plant.
Additionally, those eligible skilled-trades employees who accept a production job or train for another position will receive a $3,000 certificate toward the purchase of a GM vehicle.
Workers will have 45 days to consider their options and make a choice, then seven days to change their minds.
"This targeted program shows General Motors and the UAW are working to look for ways to improve competitiveness and more efficiently utilize our manpower," GM spokesman Dan Flores said.