General Motors is closing four truck and SUV plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico as surging fuel prices hasten a dramatic shift to smaller vehicles.

The cuts will affect 10,000 hourly and salaried workers. Many will be able to take openings created when 19,000 more U.S. hourly workers leave later this year through early retirement and buyout offers.

The moves will save the company $1 billion per year starting in 2010. Combined with previous efforts, GM by 2011 will have cut costs by $15 billion a year over in 2005, Wagoner said.

Canadian Auto Workers President Buzz Hargrove said GM’s decision to close its Oshawa truck plant betrays the labor agreement reached two weeks ago. He said the union will consider all options, including a strike.

This does not surprise me. I see them closing many more factories in the future so this really comes as no shock to me at all.

If you aren't making money what other options do you have? The jobless rate in the US went up again this month even more so then expected. Jobs keep getting shipped over seas and Americans keep buying the crappy foreign goods so its a endless cycle of all bad news.