General Motors (GM) will restore an estimated 3,000 jobs in United States facilities and will increase its North American production by as much as 45 percent in 2010. GM expects to increase North American production to about 2.8 million vehicles in 2010 and thus will add shifts and restore about 2,400 jobs at three U.S. assembly plants next year.

GM also expects another 600 jobs will be restored at affiliated locations across the United States.

U.S. auto dealer inventories were trimmed sharply after the federal government’s “cash for clunkers” program lifted sales in July and August with incentives of up to $4,500 to turn in gas-guzzling vehicles and buy new more fuel-efficient models.

GM will draw from its pool of laid off workers first to fill restored positions and expects virtually all of jobs to be filled by workers now on layoff or who would be subject to layoff once other plants are idled.

In September, GM said it expected to build 535,000 vehicles in North America in the third quarter and 655,000 in the fourth quarter, down about 20 percent from a year ago.

GM expects U.S. auto industry sales of about 10.5 million vehicles in 2009, down from about 13.2 million last year. It expects U.S. auto industry sales of 11.5 million to 12 million in 2010.