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General Motors has placed about 900 employees at its Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas on indefinite layoff after the company pushed back plans to add a second production shift.
Union leaders say members were expecting to return sooner, but there’s no firm recall date for most affected workers.
Why the layoffs now?
The Fairfax facility paused output in late 2024 to retool after ending production of the Chevrolet Malibu and pausing the Cadillac XT4 in early 2025.
GM has been transitioning the plant toward future programs and originally targeted a broader restart, but a delayed second shift means hundreds remain sidelined longer than anticipated.
What will Fairfax build next?
Local reporting indicates a phased return to work tied to program changes: first-shift operations linked to the next Chevy Bolt (EV program) and a longer-term plan to bring Chevy Equinox production to the site around 2027, which would restore additional jobs once the line is ready.
While some employees could be recalled sooner for training or initial runs, most workers won’t see jobs return until at least 2027.
Impact on workers and the community
UAW Local 31 represents the Fairfax workforce and has warned of the strain on families and neighborhood businesses when a large portion of the plant’s payroll is idle.
Leaders emphasize the layoffs are “indefinite” rather than permanent, but uncertainty about timing complicates choices such as transferring to other GM facilities or waiting for recalls in Kansas.
Quick facts at a glance
| Key item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Plant | GM Fairfax Assembly, Kansas City, Kansas |
| Status | Indefinite layoffs tied to a delayed second shift |
| Workers affected | Approx. 900 employees |
| Recent program history | Malibu ended late 2024; XT4 paused in 2025 during retooling |
| Near-term activity | Limited first-shift operations linked to the next Chevy Bolt |
| Longer-term outlook | Equinox production targeted around 2027 to add jobs back |
| Union stance | UAW Local 31 assisting members with options and potential transfers |
What it means for Kansas and GM
For the Kansas City metro, 900 fewer paychecks reverberate through restaurants, shops, and service providers clustered around the plant.
For GM, stretching out the return of a second shift signals continued capacity balancing as model lineups change and the company sequences new programs at Fairfax.
The recall cadence will likely map to program timing: early training and pilot work on one line, with the bigger employment boost arriving only when 2027 Equinox volume comes online.
The Fairfax layoffs underscore a transition year for the plant and its workforce. With legacy models retired and new programs staged over multiple years, the second-shift delay leaves roughly 900 workers in limbo.
A limited first-shift comeback may start to trickle in, but for most, meaningful recall appears tied to 2027 plans—keeping families, the union, and community businesses focused on bridging the gap until production ramps back up.