Detroit ? General Motors on Tuesday reported a $38.7 billion loss for 2007, its largest ever, and said it would offer its unionized workers a fresh round of buyouts meant to remove more high-cost veteran employees from its payroll.

GM, essentially tied with Toyota after nearly 80 years as the world’s top automaker, coaxed about 30,000 workers into leaving the company in 2006 through a combination of early retirement incentives and buyouts.

Company officials did not disclose how many employees they hope will accept the company’s latest offer and either quit or retire early. GM has about 74,000 unionized employees eligible for the program.