General Motors North America President Troy Clarke introduces the Saturn Flextreme Concept at the 2008 North American International Auto Show on January 14, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan. The Flextreme, a design collaboration between Saturn and Opel brands, uses GM's E-Flex System with an electric motor, powered by a lithium-ion battery. (UPI Photo/Jeffrey Sauger/GM) | License Photo

Troy Clarke, president of General Motors, North America, talks during the company's press event at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center on January 11, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (UPI Photo/Brian Kersey) | License Photo

DETROIT, April 20 (UPI) -- U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. said Monday it would cut 1,600 white-collar jobs over the next few days to help it qualify for government assistance.

In an e-mail, GM's North American President Troy Clarke said the automaker was "reinventing every aspect of our business, including our organizational size and structure to create a lean and agile company."


Clarke said the company was going through "very trying times … but especially for those employees directly impacted by these actions," the Kansas City Business Journal reported Monday.

In March, GM commenced laying off 3,400 salaried employees as part of a downsizing of 47,000 positions it expects to conclude by the end of the year.

Company spokesman Tom Wilkinson said GM would be close to its 3,400 reduction goal after the 1,600 layoffs were completed.

On Friday, Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson said GM needed "to go deeper and go faster in our operational restructuring."

GM is facing a May 31 deadline to trim costs or risk losing a federal line of credit that has been keeping it afloat.