BUENA VISTA TWP, MI — Recent temporary layoffs at Nexteer Automotive are being converted to permanent layoffs and more are planned for next year, according to a social media post by Tom Hurst, labor union president for UAW Local 699.

A membership meeting was held on Sunday, Dec. 8, where permanent layoffs and additional layoffs were discussed for Nexteer Automotive, Hurst said on UAW local 699’s Facebook page. The company is Saginaw County’s largest employer with about 5,000 workers.

So far, the automotive steering maker, located along I-75 in Buena Vista Township, has laid off 130 employees, which are now permanent and 200 to 300 additional layoffs are planned for next year, he said in the post.

“There will be additional layoffs next year associated with the loss of work and outsourcing,” Hurst said. “The number of additional layoffs as of the end of April 2020 is projected between 200-300 members.”

One of Nexteer’s goals is to secure the company’s long-term sustainability, which includes transforming the Saginaw driveline business to improve efficiency and cost competitiveness and sizing operations to align with customer volumes and program needs, company officials have said.

A Nexteer spokesperson was not immediately available for comment on Monday.

Nexteer today employs 13,000 full-time employee employees worldwide, and operates 25 manufacturing plants, three technical centers and 14 customer service centers in North and South America, Europe and Asia, according to its website.

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