New Vote Set on Shared Layoffs

Auto workers at the General Motors plant in Van Nuys voted 1,256 to 590 today to have a new vote Feb. 8 on a unique but controversial plan to have almost 2,000 layoffs shared on a rotating basis, which was narrowly defeated in a vote last week.

Members of the United Auto Workers Local 645 finished counting the ballots about 2 a.m. after heated meetings with members of the plant’s day and night shifts, local President Jerry Shreives said. The rotating lay-off proposal was made in response to a GM announcement that half of the plant’s 4,000 employees would be laid off indefinitely Feb. 1.