Today GM announced it would add third shifts at its Fairfax, Kansas; Ft. Wayne, Indiana; and Lansing Delta Township, Michigan, assembly plants. The extra shift will necessitate the addition of 2,400 workers.
However, it's not an out-and-out staffing increase, given that the extra shift at Ft. Wayne and and Lansing offset the loss of production from the Pontiac, Michigan, and Spring Hill, Tennessee, plants -- which are closing (though there's reason to think Saturn's new owner, Penske, might find a use for Spring Hill). Those plants build heavy-duty-series pickups and the Chevrolet Traverse respectively. GM's Orion, Michigan, plant will end production of the Malibu in November (Fairfax will pick up the slack) and be retooled for production of a global, B-segment small car.
Fairfax starts its 3rd shift in January, while Ft. Wayne and Lansing will pick it up in April 2010.
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