Schaeffler Group (Germany; parent of INA/FAG Bearings and LuK) has extended its regular December automotive layoff for many Canadian workers through March -- turning a 30-day holiday period into a 90-day layoff.

Originally scheduled to coincide with holidays and year-end demand slowdowns, employees were out of work from early December through the first week of January by design.

However, as demand failed to materialize, Schaeffler has not put many of those workers on layoff at least through March, the entire first quarter of 2009.

Those who are still employed are down to two shifts from three and a four-day workweek of 12-hour days. Support staff is also on a four day workweek.

Schaeffler Canada's automotive business is headquartered in Stratford, Ontario; other locations include Oakville, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Saint-Laurent, Quebec; Leduc, Alberta; and others.