GM: 600 Workers Changed Their Minds on Buyout

The buyout offers made by GM to its UAW workers, even if it seemed to have pleased the workers, was shadowed by the some 600 employees who initially said “yes” to the offers and have now changed their minds refusing attrition, retirement or buy-out packages, Autonews reported.

Initially, 7,600 workers agreed to the terms of the packages and had until March the 31st to change their minds. Still, the struggling manufacturer is pleased that the rest (7,000 people) left the company by April the 1st. GM says that they initially estimated about 6,500 to take the offers, therefore the total number of those who left is still above expectations.

"This was always envisioned as an important step toward where we need to get. These are 7,600 individual decisions and individual people and individual families. We're not disappointed. It just is what it is," Tom Wilkinson, GM spokesman was quoted as saying by the aforementioned source.

The measures taken by the US government against GM, as well as the new deadline, made the company's new CEO, Fritz Henderson, say that some new and perhaps even more drastic attrition programs might be adopted in the near future.

"Most important of all I want to express my deepest appreciation to the extraordinary team of GM employees around the world. You have been a tremendous source of inspiration and pride to me, and I will be forever grateful for the courage and commitment you have shown as we have confronted the unprecedented challenges of the past few years.” Said the new CEO in a press conference at the beginning of the week.