Ford, GM to expand salaried staff

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DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. automakers Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. have said they will require additional salaried workers this year and plan to add about 3,000 new jobs.

Ford has said it would hire 2,200 white-collar workers in 2012, the biggest boost to its salaried staff in more than a decade, The Detroit News reported Friday.

GM is expecting to hire 1,000 salaried workers this year, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Ford has said it would invest $773 million in plants in southeast Michigan, where the bulk of its new jobs would be created, the News said.

"As we expand our product lineup of fuel-efficient vehicles, we need more people in critical areas -- such as in a range of engineering activities, vehicle production, computer software and other IT functions," said Ford Executive Vice President Joe Hinrichs.

Ford will announces its fourth quarter earnings in February, but signs suggest it was a positive year for the company -- which lost tens of thousands of jobs during the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 and through the prolonged recession that followed that.

Ford gave salaried workers raises and bonuses in 2012 for the first time since 2008 and recently announced it would double its dividend to 10 cents per share.

Ford's latest contract with the United Auto Workers calls for hiring 12,000 hourly workers by 2015. Hourly workers in 2012 received an average profit-sharing bonus of $5,000 and another bonus is expected this spring.