(January 25, 2011) DETROIT — General Motors on Monday announced plans to add a third shift at Flint Assembly, generating 750 jobs for the plant that makes the award-winning Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups.

The shift is expected to start in the third quarter with employees starting to arrive at Flint Assembly in the second quarter.

"Adding a third shift is a response to customer demand for heavy-duty pickups, which most people use to tow, haul and plow,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. “Equally importantly, it brings jobs and a needed economic boost to the Flint area."

Flint Assembly currently employs nearly 2,100 hourly and salaried employees and operates two production shifts. In 2010 the plant produced 115,000 trucks, the majority of them regular and crew-cab versions of the heavy-duty Silverado and Sierra. Last year, the plant added production of regular and crew-cab version of the light-duty Silverado.

“I’m very proud of the Flint Assembly team and what we have accomplished in the past year to launch the light- and heavy-duty pickups,” said Flint Assembly Plant Manager Amy Farmer. “The support of the UAW, its members and leaders was instrumental in making the heavy-duty truck the critical favorite when compared to trucks offered by our competitors.”

GM’s new heavy-duty trucks have demonstrated since their release last summer that they can out-tow, out-haul and out-perform the competition. In fact, the Silverado HD recently was named the 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year.

“I want to thank the Local 598 members for their hard work in building the best pickups on the road,” said UAW Local 598 Chairman Dana Rouse. “Adding the third shift allows us to call back some former Flint Assembly workers and provide employment for others who have been laid off.”

The first wave of employees is expected to arrive at Flint Assembly in the second quarter with additional waves arriving until the plant starts the third shift in the third quarter. Initial openings will be filled by recalled laid off Flint Assembly employees currently working at other facilities, primarily in Lansing. Remaining openings will be filled by laid-off employees in the area, including those from Orion, Willow Run and Warren in accordance with the UAW GM National Agreement. No new employees are expected to be hired.

Since opening in 1947, Flint Assembly has built more than 13 million vehicles, including such celebrated models as the Chevrolet Corvette, Bel Air, Monte Carlo and Suburban.