Shreveport GM plant to lay off second-shift workers

GM officials announced Monday that they were cutting production of 117,000 more pickups and SUVs, which will result in the layoffs of nearly 800 workers at the Shreveport General Motors Assembly Plant.

The second shift at the Shreveport plant will be cut Sept. 29, affecting 798 employees, including 715 hourly and 83 salaried. The second shift is 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The first shift is 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

"It's pretty much based on current and forecasted demands of midsize trucks and SUVs," said plant spokeswoman Traci Murray. "We will still produce 40 vehicles per hour, just not on a second shift."

Morgan Johnson, president of the United Auto Workers Local 2166, said employees will be able to draw unemployment in addition to a UAW GM supplement.