Rory Gamble, UAW president, met with the Detroit automakers to work out a reduced production schedule to improve the safety of workers from COVID-19.
The United Auto Workers said Detroit’s automakers will cut production in half by using rotating shifts that carmakers hope will give them more time for cleaning to keep the threat of COVID-19 at bay.
Rory Gamble, UAW president, said after a meeting with executives from General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., the carmakers agreed to trim production for the next two weeks to safeguard the health of workers.
The result of the three-and-half hour meeting was a compromise requiring rotating shifts that effectively cuts production at all three companies, union officials said. Initially, the UAW had pushed for a complete shutdown of all the plants, an idea rebuffed by the automakers.
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“All three companies have agreed to new measures that will increase adherence to CDC recommendations on social distancing in the workplace,” Gamble said.
Auto workers will be working a reduced production schedule to enhance their safety from the coronavirus.
“Most importantly, all three companies have agreed to review and implement the rotating partial shutdown of facilities, extensive deep cleaning of facility and equipment between shifts, extended periods between shifts, and extensive plans to avoid member contact.”
Gamble said union members will be working on shift rotation to minimize risk. The companies have also agreed to work with the union in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the union’s membership as they manage disruption in the industry.
“Following several days of proactive discussions with our UAW partners focused on providing a safe environment for our employees, we have agreed that in addition to our extensive current protocols to protect our employees, FCA will implement a series of shift pattern and production changes across our manufacturing plants in the United States,” the automaker confirmed in a statement.
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“These changes, which include rotating shifts to allow for greater separation of employees and further enhancing our new sanitation protocols, are focused on providing a safe environment and peace of mind to our employees at their place of work. Despite the continuing economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, FCA continues to work on fulfilling a strong North American order book from both fleet and dealer partners,” FCA said.
General Motors employees work on the assembly line at the GM Arlington Assembly Plant in Arlington, Texas.
GM said, “We will continue to take aggressive steps to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep families safe” but did not offer any specifics.
Ford, meanwhile, was facing a shutdown of its critical Chicago assembly plant because of a parts shortage that was created by an outbreak of COVID-19 at a plant operated by Lear Corp. The Lear plant builds seats for the Ford Explorer.
GM also said that it had learned that an employee who works at the Cole Engineering Center in Warren has tested positive for the virus, prompting the company to take steps to protect other employees.
“We have been in contact with the family and put our emergency response plan into action, building on the preventive measures we have already taken, which include directing employees at the Cole Technical Center and other sites to work remotely if possible,” the company said in a statement.
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The automaker noted it is contacting individuals who may have had direct contact at work with the affected employee, directing them to self-quarantine for 14 days. It’s also begun a comprehension cleaning of the affected areas of the building.