About 5K GM salaried workers take buyouts, avoiding layoffs

DETROIT (AP) — About 5,000 white-collar workers at General Motors took the company’s buyout offers, which the automaker says is enough to avoid layoffs at this time.

GM said Tuesday that the offers will save about $1 billion per year in costs, about half of the $2 billion it wants to cut annually by the end of 2024. The company now has about 58,000 salaried workers in the U.S.

The buyouts come at an uncertain time for the auto industry, which is in the midst of a transition from internal combustion to electric vehicles. GM has a goal of selling only electric passenger vehicles by 2035.

The Detroit automaker and its competitors are making huge capital outlays to develop and build new electric vehicles, all while continuing to make cars, trucks and SUVs with gasoline engines. They’re also spending big to get scarce minerals and parts needed for EV batteries.

“The steps we are taking will allow us to maintain momentum, remain agile, and create a more competitive GM,” the company said in a prepared statement.

GM hopes to get the remaining $1 billion in savings by reducing vehicle complexity and expanding use of shared parts on internal combustion and electric vehicles. It also plans to cut spending across the company, including for travel and marketing, the statement said.

At a Bank of America conference Tuesday, GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said the company will take a $1 billion charge because of the buyouts, but said it will save $1 billion per year as the workers leave later in in 2023.

The company, he said, had a goal of making attrition go faster. “You’ve got a pretty quick payback,” Jacobson said.

Last month GM offered buyouts to white-collar workers with at least five years of service, and global executives who have been with the company at least two years.

Although the 5,000 workers who will leave is enough to hold off layoffs, GM isn’t ruling it out in the future. “Given the results of the program, companywide involuntary separations are not a consideration at this point,” the statement said.

Employees taking the buyouts had to sign up by March 24, and those who are approved for the packages have to leave by June 30.

U.S. salaried workers are being offered one month of pay for every year of service, up to 12 months. They’ll also get COBRA health care and part of the bonuses they would receive this year.

Last August, crosstown rival Ford Motor Co. let go of 3,000 white collar workers to cut costs and help make the costly transition from internal combustion vehicles to those powered by batteries.