Ford, GM to cut Spain staff

MADRID (Reuters) -- Ford Motor and General Motors are both set to cut jobs at their plants in Spain, where demand for cars has plummeted in a slowing economy, state news agency EFE said on Tuesday, citing workers' representatives.

Ford will cut 1,300 workers out of 7,000 at its Almussafes plants in the Valencia region and GM will cut 600 at its Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza, EFE said.

Spokesman for neither Ford nor GM were available for comment, but GM said in late August that it would reduce production at Figueruelas due to slowing demand.

Spanish new car sales tumbled by 41 percent in August compared to the same month last year as the slowdown bit, according to industry data.

Separately, Volkswagen-controlled SEAT said in a statement that it would cut production. EFE reported that it would reduce output of its Altea and Leon models by 300 vehicles a day but that there would be no job losses.