Youngerman

The decision by General Motors Corp. to lay off 209 production-line employees at its plant in East Baltimore shows that even workers making the once-popular minivans won't be spared the effects of the recession.Starting Monday, the workers will be on a "long-term" layoff that could last 36 weeks, according to Terry Youngerman, personnel director at the Broening Highway plant. The layoffs, he said yesterday, are intended to cut production of the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari vans due to "lack of sales."