Detroit Three, UAW Launch Coronavirus Task Force

by Steph Willems

Published: March 16th, 2020

detroit three uaw launch coronavirus task force

Most white-collar types working for domestic automakers will be able to limit exposure to the rampaging coronavirus by sealing themselves off at home, relying on computers, phones, and Skype to carry on the business of making cars. But those whose livelihoods involve the physical building of cars are a different story; they have to come into work, so long as the plant stays open.

With this in mind, the Detroit Three and the United Auto Workers joined up to create the COVID-19/Coronavirus Task Force — an effort to lower the risk posed to assembly plant workers.

Heading up the task force is the shiniest brass from each entity: UAW President Rory Gamble, Ford Chairman Bill Ford and CEO Jim Hackett, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, and Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley. Backing them up are the respective UAW heads assigned to each automaker, joined by the medical staff of each automaker and their manufacturing and labor leadership teams.

“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,” said the Detroit Three leaders in a joint statement. “We are all coming together to help keep our workforces safe and healthy.”

As for what this means on the ground, the task force’s recommendations and responsibilities are pretty much what you’d expect of any still-functional workplace in the grip of an infectious disease outbreak. Things like the repeated sanitization of commonly-touched surfaces, previously-announced “enhanced” visitor screening, safety protocol for exposed workers, and the same thing for workers who actually show symptoms. Break times, food prep and availability, and employee education will be other focuses.

Sounds mundane, but there’s little else a company can do, aside from temporarily laying off workers while providing full pay — something many would no doubt prefer under these circumstances, but that’s a slightly different issue.

“As the joint task force identifies enhancements, each company, together with the UAW, will provide regular updates to the workers in their facilities,” the automakers stated.

[Image: General Motors]

#AssemblyPlants #Coronavirus #Fca #FiatChryslerAutomobiles #Ford #GM #Production #Safety #Uaw

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Jeff S on Mar 16, 2020

That would actually be a good thing for the public and for the auto industry if people stop buying new vehicles.

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Inside Looking Out on Mar 16, 2020

Same thing happened during WWII. After war with virus ends there will be a boom. Buy auto stocks now while they are cheap..

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Bd2 Lexus is just a higher trim package Toyota. ^^
Tassos ONLY consider CIvics or Corollas, in their segment. NO DAMNED Hyundais, Kias, Nissans or esp Mitsus. Not even a Pretend-BMW Mazda. They may look cute but they SUCK.I always recommend Corollas to friends of mine who are not auto enthusiasts, even tho I never owed one, and owned a Civic Hatch 5 speed 1992 for 25 years. MANY follow my advice and are VERY happy. ALmost all are women.friends who believe they are auto enthusiasts would not listen to me anyway, and would never buy a Toyota. They are damned fools, on both counts.
Tassos since Oct 2016 I drive a 2007 E320 Bluetec and since April 2017 also a 2008 E320 Bluetec.Now I am in my summer palace deep in the Eurozone until end October and drive the 2008.Changing the considerable oils (10 quarts synthetic) twice cost me 80 and 70 euros. Same changes in the US on the 2007 cost me $219 at the dealers and $120 at Firestone.Changing the air filter cost 30 Euros, with labor, and there are two such filters (engine and cabin), and changing the fuel filter only 50 euros, while in the US they asked for... $400. You can safely bet I declined and told them what to do with their gold-plated filter. And when I changed it in Europe, I looked at the old one and it was clean as a whistle.A set of Continentals tires, installed etc, 300 EurosI can't remember anything else for the 2008. For the 2007, a brand new set of manual rec'd tires at Discount Tire with free rotations for life used up the $500 allowance the dealer gave me when I bought it (tires only had 5000 miles left on them then)So, as you can see, I spent less than even if I owned a Lexus instead, and probably less than all these poor devils here that brag about their alleged low cost Datsun-Mitsus and Hyundai-Kias.And that's THETRUTHABOUTCARS. My Cars,
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