GM begins white-collar layoffs with 160 pink slips

DETROIT: General Motors Corp. starts laying off white-collar workers as part of its restructuring plan, with 160 people losing jobs at its technical center in Warren, Michigan.

GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson says workers in the manufacturing engineering area were told of the layoffs on Tuesday morning. They are effective April 1.

GM told the government it will cut 47,000 workers worldwide as it tries to shrink itself to make money on lower sales.

Wilkinson says the company will cut 3,400 salaried and 18,000 hourly jobs in the US by the end of the year.