Help on the way for GM workers losing jobs
Labour Minister MR Jatumongkol Sonakul has put his adviser Jak Punchoopet in charge of helping employees of General Motors’ Rayong manufacturing facility secure new jobs after the US automaker announced it will halt Chevrolet production here at the end of the year.
Two plants, run by General Motors (Thailand) and General Motors Powertrain (Thailand), employ 1,500 employees.
Great Wall Motors has committed to taking over the facilities but has no plans to hire the GM employees, Jak said.
Lay-offs are coming for workers in car assembly by the end of June, for those making spare parts in October and for support staff in December, he said.
GM and the ministry had discussed mitigation measures and agreed on staff support terms, including severance pay equal to four months’ salary.
The ministry will make sure they’re registered for unemployment benefits and will help them find new jobs, Jak said.
The ministry has ascertained with organisations in the Eastern Economic Corridor that there are already 15,132 jobs available in the automotive field.