natural plant fabric General Motors announcement today that itwill close the Janesville plant and three others is an economicblow to the Wisconsin community that has long been entwined withauto making. The Janesville plant opened in 1919. It has survived theDepression, a world war, and GM's major layoffs in the 1980s. Scott Lambert has worked at the plant for 13 years. Lambert saysthere were some tears and alot of people were "ticked off"following the announcement today, but he says it's all part of thebusiness. The 39-year-old autoworker planned to buy an atlas to figure outwhere other GM plants were located and where the company might behiring. The company has cut production in recent years, as sales dwindledfor the large SUVs built there - the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburbanand GMC Yukon. Up to 200 workers were laid off. The Janesville plant is GM's oldest. It was long the largestemployer in Janesville, but cutbacks shrunk the workforce to about2,600, so it's no longer the city's biggest employer. Mercy HealthCare now holds that title. Local economic experts say GM had an average of nearly 2,800workers and a payroll worth $229 million last year. That's downfrom a payroll of $330 million for 4,100 employees in 2003. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Thismaterial may not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.
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