LORDSTOWN — Nearly 600 employees at the General Motors Complex in Lordstown took the option to retire early or a buyout as second shift layoffs loom at the automaker.

Dave Green, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112 at the plant, said Monday 595 production and skilled trades workers elected to either voluntarily quit or retire through a plan to reduce the workforce through attrition.

Green could not give a split of how many employees took the option to retire early or accepted the buyout.

The attrition plan is aimed at reducing the number of employees who would be laid off following GM’s decision in April to eliminate the second production shift at the plant, a move that could have affected as many as 1,500 employees depending on how many participated in the plan.

Layoffs are scheduled to begin no earlier than June 22 and will continue through September.

Under the company’s national contract with the United Auto Workers, as well as an April 12 agreement on the attrition plan, eligible employees were offered a $60,000 one-time payment to retire no later than July 1.

The second option was for employees to voluntarily quit GM no later than July 1. Those who chose this option would relinquish rights under GM benefit plans, including post-employment health care coverage. Vested pension rights would not be affected.

Cash payments were based on seniority and ranged from $5,000 for employees with up to five years of service to $50,000 for employees with 20 or more years of service.

Sales of the Chevrolet Cruze, which is produced at the plant, have fallen in the past several months. Still, the car, according to domestic sales numbers from GM, remains among the brand’s top-selling vehicles.

Employees at the company’s Parma-based metal fabrication division were offered a similar attrition program.