Throughout 2008, automobile sales fell. Unfortunately, 2009 isn't looking to be much different. At least not yet.

Auto sales tumbled 38% in January, plunging even more than expected to their worst levels since 1982 as a pullback in purchases by rental car companies became the latest problem for the troubled industry.

General Motors reported that its sales plunged 49% from a year ago. Ford Motor said sales fell 39% at its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands, and 40% overall when including sales at Volvo, which Ford is trying to sell. Chrysler LLC reported a 55% drop in sales.

Back in December, GM claimed they needed at least $18 billion in government financing to stay afloat. Having received $13.4 billion instead, GM is now announcing more job cuts.

General Motors Corp., presenting a dire outlook for the future, said Tuesday it may need $30 billion in total government financing to weather the economic downturn and would cut 47,000 jobs worldwide and shutter five more U.S. factories in a massive restructuring plan.

The job cuts, which would take place by the end of this year, include 10,000 salaried and 37,000 blue-collar positions, amounting to 19 percent of the company's current global work force.

I have heard and read many people claiming that GM is responsible for most of its own problems. If this were a simple case of shitty management and nothing else, then it should predominately be affecting GM and pretty much nobody else.

But this isn't the case.

The sales slump is affecting even the largest global automaker: Toyota.

Hit by the standstill in auto sales, Toyota Motor Corp. announced Wednesday that it plans to further suspend domestic output in April, while Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said it will effectively cut its long-standing ties with Chrysler LLC.

The latest streamlining steps by the two Japanese car makers reflect the dark days ahead for the auto industry as demand continues shrinking. In January, industrywide sales dropped by over 20% in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

A Toyota spokesman said that the car maker will halt production at 11 of its 12 plants in Japan for three days in April, reducing total operating time during that month to 17 days...

...Toyota's latest production cutback comes after its decision last week to offer job buyouts to all 25,000 of its North American workers and to cut the workweek by 10% at some U.S. factories in a bid to bring output levels down to meet sluggish sales.

It's not looking good out there for auto workers. Even though I don't think the new $787 billion stimulus bill is the best possible package, it is signed now so hopefully it can do some good for the many who are out of jobs...or are facing future unemployment.