PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Car manufacturers and their suppliers in the Czech Republic are expected to lay off more than 13,000 workers by the middle of next year, an auto industry group said Wednesday.
The Czech Car Industry Association said in a statement that its survey of 127 companies showed 13,552 workers will likely lose their jobs in first six months of 2009. It said the suppliers are to be hit hardest.
More than 135,000 people are employed in the industry.
Czech carmaker Skoda Auto AS, a unit of Germany's Volkswagen AG and the country's largest exporter, plans to halt production from Dec 19-Jan 11 because of falling demand.
Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek has ruled out any direct government support for the industry.
