American Airlines will reduce its union employee count by 415 at its overhaul base at Kansas City International Airport.

About 260 union employees chose early retirement, and the airline will involuntarily lay off about 155 union workers, Gordon Clark, president of Local 530 of the Transport Workers Union, said on Oct. 14.

Those who chose early retirement will leave by Dec. 31, and the layoffs will occur by Jan. 15, Clark said.

The plant has about 1,050 employees, he said.

Officials with American Airlines couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Clark said on Aug. 13 that the airline would shut down all but two lines of work at its Kansas City aircraft overhaul plant, a move that called for cutting two-thirds of the plant's 1,000 employees by Jan. 1.

The Dallas-based airline said on Jul. 18 that it would cut 1,500 maintenance division jobs, including 1,300 mechanics and 200 management and support positions.

In January 2004, the airline negotiated an escape hatch allowing it to cut its work force at the overhaul base near Kansas City International Airport to zero without repaying incentives offered by the city.