General Motors is planning some layoffs at the Rochester plant on Lexington Avenue.
GM is looking at laying off 26 workers indefinitely.
That’s according to Dan Maloney, who is President of United Auto Workers Local 1097, which represents around 650 employees at the Rochester plant.
He told WXXI News that from what he has been told, the layoffs are due to some of the work they do at that facility being produced in Mexico as well as in Rochester.
“Local management informed us they they’re dual sourcing some of the coolant tube work that we do, thermal controls for batteries,” said Maloney. “And EV sales are flat and have not hit the anticipated targets.”
The local GM plant does work that includes fuel systems for vehicles as well as components used in electric vehicles.
GM on Friday released this statement:
GM Rochester Operations has notified a small number of employees of an indefinite layoff, as a result of operational changes at the plant. Impacted employees may be offered employment opportunities at Tonawanda Propulsion Systems or other GM facilities.
Maloney said there is the potential for more hiring going on down the road.
“We do have a new fuel system coming in the end of the year, early next year, we'll be ramping up with the Gen Six fuel work. So, you know, hopefully, if battery sales are flat, people go back to buying gasoline vehicles,” said Maloney, “we're going to be hopefully hiring again early next year.”
When GM reported earnings in early January, the company said that in 2024, electric vehicle sales jumped 50% for the year and 125% for the quarter.
