-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Mil Arcega
Washington, D.C.
29 March 2006
watch General Motors report
American carmaker General Motors is laying off hundreds of salaried workers, after suffering losses in the billions of dollars last year. The Detroit-based automaker is in the midst of a major restructuring and has already announced plans to cut 30,000 hourly workers.
-----------------------------------------------------
Bruised2 by increasing foreign competition, and battered3 by losses totaling more than $10 billion last year, the world's largest automaker is bracing4 its workers for a new round of job cuts. G.M. said fewer than 500 salaried workers at 30 U.S. locations are immediately affected5, but Paul Ballew, G.M.'s chief of Global Marketing6, said the layoffs7 could run into the thousands before the end of the year.
"It certainly has been a challenge. We're all focused on the fact that it's not an easy time but what we need to do is get the company healthy again in North America, which requires tough decisions," he said.
This was the second major announcement in a week from the Detroit-based automaker, which offered early retirement8 buy-outs last Wednesday to hourly union workers in an attempt to cut 30,000 union jobs and close 12 manufacturing plants by 2008.
"What's going to be coming to G.M. hopefully through this process, will be a leaner and more competitive manufacturer," said Ballew.
To become more competitive in an increasingly crowded field of domestic and foreign automakers, G.M. has adopted a new marketing strategy, slashing9 the average price on most of its cars and trucks by $1,300. G.M. says the new pricing plan will mean fewer discounts and rebates10.
Auto1 analyst11 David Zoia says it's an ambitious plan and he says G.M. needs it. "There's a big package of things they have to do and time is of the essence."
G.M.'s auto sales are up 1.5 percent in the first quarter of 2006, compared to an industry wide increase of 3.8 percent.
1 auto | |
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 bruised | |
[医]青肿的,瘀紫的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 battered | |
adj.磨损的;v.连续猛击;磨损 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 bracing | |
adj.令人振奋的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 marketing | |
n.行销,在市场的买卖,买东西 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 layoffs | |
临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 ); 停工,停止活动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 retirement | |
n.退休,退职 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 slashing | |
adj.尖锐的;苛刻的;鲜明的;乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 );鞭打;割破;削减 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 rebates | |
n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 );回扣;返还(退还的部份货价);折扣 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 analyst | |
n.分析家,化验员;心理分析学家 | |
参考例句: |
|
|