Auto Industry Will Lay Off 30,000 Next Week

More than 30,000 auto workers, nearly all of them at General Motors Corp. plants, will have next week off as the auto industry wrestles with a recession.

GM, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Corp. said Friday that they plan to close all or parts of a dozen assembly plants the week of Dec. 10. The closures stem from slow dealer orders.

The week of Dec. 17, the last before the industry’s traditional shutdown between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, is expected to be worse.

GM said it will lay off 50,470 when it shuts down 18 assembly factories in 14 states that week.

Those employees will not return to work until Jan. 2. GM operates 35 car and truck assembly plants in North America.