As sales fall, Chrysler will have to make cuts next year

The Indianapolis Star reports that Chrysler in Kokomo expects proportional layoffs next year:

Chrysler expects limited layoffs will occur in Kokomo next year as auto sales volumes fall, Chrysler manufacturing executive Richard Chow-Wah said today.

Chow-Wah, scheduled to address the Economic Club of Indianapolis today, said in an interview that layoffs in Kokomo will be proportional to volume reductions for Chrysler. That means if Chrysler sales fall 10 percent, then layoffs could approach 10 percent of the Kokomo workforce.

Chrysler employs about 5,000 autoworkers at its transmission complex in Kokomo. The automaker this year accounts for about 12 percent of the U.S. vehicle market. Automakers are on pace this year to sell about 16.5 million vehicles, down 2.6 percent from last year.