Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles all re-opened factories across North America on Monday after being forced to close the facilities in late March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Detroit Free Press reports that the Detroit Three have all implemented new safety protocols at the sites that include thermal scanning for high temperatures, daily employee surveys that screen for symptoms, as well as the use of face masks.
General Motors re-opened no less than 19 of its facilities on Monday, including various engine and transmission plants. These facilities are initially starting with one-shift and about 12,000 hourly and salaried employees will return to work for the carmaker starting Tuesday. Locations scheduled to open later this month include GM’s Bowling Green plant in Kentucky as well as the Lansing Grand River Plant.
At FCA, it has re-opened eight facilities in the United States as well as seven plants in Saltillo and Toluca in Mexico, while on Tuesday it will open the Brampton Assembly Plant and Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada.
“Working jointly with the UAW, our employees have worked tirelessly for the past several weeks to implement a comprehensive, multilayered program of enhanced safety measures designed to safeguard our employees,” FCA North America chief operating officer Mark Stewart said on Sunday.
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Ford resumed operations at 24 sites on Monday and will soon open the Windsor and Essex Plants in Ontario, Canada as well as the Flat Rock Assembly Plant and Oakville Assembly sites also located in Ontario.
UAW president Rory Gamble said over the weekend that the Detroit Three, as well as the union’s members, were ready to return to work.
“We would like to thank the many UAW members who have worked so hard throughout the shutdown to keep the plants ready for today, as well as members who have worked to reconfigure plants for the safety of all,” Gamble said. “The UAW will continue to do everything we can to protect the health and safety of all members as plants reopen and we will continue to advocate for as much testing as possible and full testing as it becomes available.”