Oklahoma City's GM plant could be targeted

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An industry analyst says the General Motors plant in Oklahoma City could be targeted by company officials for closure.<br/><br/>GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner

Wednesday, June 8th 2005, 6:31 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An industry analyst says the General Motors plant in Oklahoma City could be targeted by company officials for closure.

GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner told shareholders in Delaware Tuesday about plans to close plants and eliminate 25,000 manufacturing jobs by 2008.

David Cole of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan says the Oklahoma City plant -- built in 1979 -- and three others could be shut down because of their ages.

A Pontiac, Michigan, plant was built in the 1970s, a plant in Doraville, Georgia, was constructed in 1947 and a Janesville, Wisconsin, facility was built in 1919.

Officials with the United Auto Workers Local 1999 in Oklahoma City didn't return several phone messages seeking comment Tuesday.

It currently has about 2,500 employees and an estimated $1-billion annual impact on the Oklahoma economy.