Detroit Three workforce down nearly 50 percent

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Detroit Three workforce down nearly 50 percent

General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford have cut nearly half of their respective U.S. workforces in the last few years, according to a new report. In 2002, GM had 177,000 workers in the United States. As of May 1, it will have less than 90,000, representing a 49 percent decrease.

Ford?s worker count is about 65,000 currently, down 44 percent from over 116,000 in 2006, according to BNET. While Ford?s cuts haven?t been quite as deep, they?ve happened over a shorter period of time.

Chrysler has gone from about 84,375 workers as of the end of 2004, to just 56,600 workers today. That?s a 33 percent decline, the bulk of which ? 32,000 jobs ? has taken place since 2007.

Chrysler President Jim Press stated in 2007 the company was focused on reducing capacity from 4 million vehicles per year to just 2 million, which, he says is how it ?should have been all along.?

Following the start of the U.S. economic crisis in 2008, Press lowered the company?s sights further. ?This year, we?re going to make it the 1.7-million-a-year company it should be,? he said. The proposed merger with Fiat could potentially lead to further cuts.