DETROIT, Michigan - February 10, 2009 - General Motors said Tuesday it would cut 10,000 white-collar jobs this year as part of a restructuring plan the struggling automaker submitted to the government in exchange for a bailout.

GM said it expected the headcount reduction to reduce its salaried workforce to about 63,000 in 2009.

"These difficult actions are necessitated by a severe drop in vehicle sales worldwide and by the need to restructure GM for long-term viability," the Detroit automaker said in a statement.

"GM outlined the need for the reductions in its restructuring plan submitted to Congress on December 2, 2008. The announcement this week begins implementation of this aspect of the plan."