When giants fall: Shutdown of one or more U.S. automakers could eliminate up to 3.3 million U.S. job
By Robert E. Scott
December 3, 2008

December 3, 2008 | EPI Briefing Paper #227

When giants fall
Shutdown of one or more U.S. automakers ould eliminate up to 3.3 million U.S. jobs

by Robert E. Scott

If bankruptcy shuttered one or more U.S. automakers, the effect would be the loss of up to 3.3 million jobs in the U.S. within the next year, according to this new briefing paper released by EPI. Michigan alone could lose over 400,000 jobs, and stands to be the hardest hit state both in the number of jobs lost and the share of total state employment (8.9%) lost. If the Big Three fall, they would take down more than auto worker jobs: when the wages from those auto sector jobs dry up, an additional 576,700 to 2.1 million “re-spending” jobs would be lost. The report lists possible job losses in each state and the District of Columbia.

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