General Motors to Rehire Former Employees

Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. lay off / leɪ ɑːf / (phrasal) – to dismiss someone from work or duty
    Example:

    Several factory employees were laid off when the company started relying on machines.


  2. bring to a halt / brɪŋ tuː ə hɑːlt / (idiom) – to stop something
    Example:

    When the company went bankrupt, production in all its factories was brought to a halt.


  3. endeavor / ɪnˈdɛvɚ / (n) – an effort to achieve a goal
    Example:

    The company’s endeavors to increase sales include offering new products.


  4. mass / mæs / (adj) – involving a large number of people
    Example:

    The bankruptcy of several major companies could lead to mass unemployment.


  5. put to work / pʊt tuː wɝːk / (idiom) – to give someone a task to complete
    Example:

    The team was put to work on designing a new car for the company.


Article

Read the text below.

General Motors Company (GM) will rehire some workers whom it had previously dismissed.


In the last few months, the automobile company had been laying off thousands of employees from some of its factories in North America. Production in some factories located in the United States and Canada was brought to a halt to give priority to GM’s other endeavors.


The layoffs were done so GM could save $6 billion, which will be used to invest in self-driving and zero-emission technologies by next year. The company is also planning to stop producing some of its car models and start focusing on sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks.


But in the midst of the mass layoffs, GM opened 1,000 new jobs at Flint Assembly, a factory in Flint, Michigan. According to GM, this move is part of the company’s efforts to aid some of its dismissed employees.


Of the 1,000 positions that were opened, 900 slots will be reserved for workers who lost their jobs in GM’s other factories. Applicants who will fill the job openings will be put to work on building some of the company’s newest pickup truck models.


On another note, the job openings in Flint will benefit more people apart from those who will get rehired. Some residents of Flint think that the increase in the number of workers assigned in the city may give some businesses a boost. According to a businessman, more people coming into the city to work also means more potential customers for local businesses.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think General Motors’ reason for laying off thousands of workers for technology is justifiable? Why or why not?
• In your opinion, does General Motors have a responsibility to aid the workers that it laid off? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• Do you think it is wise for a company to rehire its laid-off workers? Why or why not?
• In your opinion, should workers reapply to a company that previously laid them off? Why or why not?