UAW, GM, Ford and FCA Unite to Fight COVID-19
As the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall.” The fight against the COVID-19/coronavirus demands that everyone follows the same rules and plans.
In the U.S., the United Auto Workers (UAW) along with General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced on Sunday they are forming a Task Force to implement enhanced protections for manufacturing and warehouse employees at all three companies.
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The task force will be led by GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford and President and CEO Jim Hackett, FCA CEO Michael Manley and UAW President Rory Gamble.
They will be supported by the medical staffs and the manufacturing/labour leadership teams at all three companies, among others.
“Workplace health and safety is a priority for us every day, all three companies have been taking steps to keep the COVID-19/coronavirus out of their facilities and during this national emergency, we will do even more working together,” said Gamble, who convened the leaders of all three companies. “We are focused on doing the right thing for our people, their families, our communities and the country. All options related to protecting against exposure to the virus are on the table.”
In a joint statement, the leaders of GM, Ford and FCA said, “This is a fluid and unprecedented situation, and the task force will move quickly to build on the wide-ranging preventive measures we have put in place. We are all coming together to help keep our workforces safe and healthy.”
Detroit’s Big 3 and the UAW are working to coordinate action to prevent the spread of the COVID-19/coronavirus, including enhanced visitor screening, increased cleaning and sanitizing of common areas and touch points, and implementing safety protocols for people with potential exposure, as well as those who exhibit flu-like symptoms.
The joint task force’s areas of focus will include vehicle production plans, additional social distancing, break and cleaning schedules, health and safety education, health screening, food service and any other areas that have the potential to improve protections for employees.
This comes only a few days after the three automakers instructed all workers who can work from home to do so.
For now, vehicle production in North America is largely unaffected. In Europe, however, FCA has just halted production for two weeks at most of its plants to help protect staff against the coronavirus pandemic and adjust to a slump in demand.