General Motors is cutting hundreds of jobs across its global footprint in a move to streamline operations, a company spokesperson confirmed in an email to Automotive Dive.
The automaker is eliminating 507 jobs at the GM Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, according to the data a November 15 notice on the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act Notification. Another 50 GM employees represented by the United Autoworkers were also affected, although a union spokesperson did not disclose the type or location of the affected jobs.
GM spokesman Kevin Kelly said the automaker’s actions strengthen its position in the market, adding that “the adjustments were strategic.”
“To win in this competitive market, we must optimize speed and excellence.” Kelly said in an email. “TThis includes operating efficiently, ensuring the right team structure and focusing on our top priorities as a company.”
The eliminated positions at GM’s headquarters in Warren, Michigan, included an assortment of roles such as accounting, business analytics, business planning, cost engineering, data analytics and engineering and others, according to the WARN notice.
While CNBC reported that the automaker was cutting about 1,000 employees, Kelly did not confirm the total number of layoffs, instead noting that “adjustments are taking place in various regions around the world.”
Job cuts followed Strong Q3 for the automaker, which reported quarterly revenue of $48.8 billion, up 10.7% year-over-year, despite an 8.8% year-over-year decline in global vehicle sales. GM’s third-quarter revenue performance marked four consecutive quarters in which the company topped analysts’ revenue estimates.
UAW Vice President Mike Booth was critical of the firings. “GM is looking to cut about 50 jobs at the UAW when they are making record profits,” Booth said in an emailed statement.