General Motors says it will eliminate second shift production of the Chevy Cruze at the Lordstown plant by the end of June, which could cost as many as 15 hundred workers their jobs.
GM attributes the move to falling sales of compact cars. GM won't know for several weeks how many jobs will be eliminated because of buyout offers and other factors. Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill says losing the third shift is difficult, but the village planned ahead and was able to stay financially prudent when the plant was doing well. But he’s concerned for the affected workers.
GM last year eliminated the plant's third shift and stopped production altogether for several weeks during summer because of shifting demand to trucks and SUVS. GM projects this year's Cruze U.S. sales to be on par with the 2017 total of 150 thousand.
