Name: UAW leader 'encouraged' by Ford plants' safety protocols as reopen date considered
Brand: freep.com
SKU: freep-com-55
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

UAW leader 'encouraged' by Ford plants' safety protocols as reopen date considered

preview

Get the newsShare This Story!Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutUAW engaged by safety measures as Ford prepares to reopen factories during pandemic.A link has been sent to your friend's email address.A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Join the ConversationTo find out more about Facebook commenting please read theWelcome to our new and improved comments.This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.You will need to register before adding a comment.Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.Please be polite.It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.If you see comments in violation of our , please report them.CLOSEAnne Hernandez of Troy is responding to the shortage of face masks during the Novel Coronovirus threat by showing how she makes a mask.UAW President Rory Gamble voiced concern on April 23 about sending hourly&nbsp;workers back into auto plants too soon, saying early May was "risky" and comprehensive safety protections needed to be put in place&nbsp;as&nbsp;intense discussion&nbsp;with the Detroit Three companies continued.Late on Saturday,&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;put out its 64-page "return to work" playbook with remarks about safety protocols designed&nbsp;to protect workers from&nbsp; the highly contagious novel coronavirus, and Ford quoted UAW vice president Gerald Kariem offering praise."We are encouraged by the results thus far of the safety protocols being instituted at the plants and in plans to implement these safeguards when it is safe for our members to report for work,"&nbsp;said , in prepared remarks.&nbsp;"We also recognize that we all have a role in self-reporting any exposure without repercussions and in following through on implementing these protections.”Auto industry executives have been discussing the possibility of a production restart in mid-May or late May. Much depends on whether the workers and&nbsp;companies feel they can keep the virus from spreading through the workforce.Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has a stay-at-home order in place until May 15. Ford salaried workers will be called back to the office by late June or early July, the company said Thursday.In addition to requiring face masks and providing goggles and face shields in settings that don't allow for social distancing, Ford has said it will require&nbsp;all hourly and salaried workers and visitors to Ford sites to self-report health concerns.“We continue to work toward the safest protocols available for the safety of our members, their families and their communities,” Kariem said. “Our biggest concern is the health and safety of our UAW membership."Since the factories stopped building cars, Ford has paid&nbsp;hourly and salaried volunteers to&nbsp;help make&nbsp;personal protection equipment (PPE) for first responders battling the pandemic. It is this work environment Kariem is acknowledging.The UAW has reported &nbsp;from COVID-19&nbsp;since March 22. Prior to the shutdown in late March, advocated by the union for days, of&nbsp; going to work and being on the assembly line. In some cases, worker fear had&nbsp;.Dr. Walter Talamonti, corporate medical director at Ford, said in the news release, “Science and data are driving Ford’s return to work, including close collaboration with experts in the field of infectious disease and epidemiology, to set safety standards we are confident will protect employees as they return to work."Ford officials have said they're doing all they can think to do, in compliance with federal health and safety guidelines, to protect workers and bring people back to work. The company has touted its success with managing the situation in China.“The protocols we’ve established will require employees take multiple steps every day to make sure that they are safe, healthy and able to work," Talamonti said.In recent days, Gary Johnson, Ford chief manufacturing and labor affairs officer,&nbsp;credited efforts with union leaders in trying to find solutions and get people back to work. He did so again Saturday in prepared remarks.“These protocols are the result of weeks of working closely with our unions, especially the UAW, on assuring the health and safety of our Ford family while planning how to reopen our facilities," Johnson said.&nbsp;"We have evidence that these protocols work and are already using them without a single issue to date in Ford plants where we are manufacturing ventilators and PPE for medical personnel.”Jim Farley, chief operating officer, said in the release, “We’ve been working intently on how to restart our operations and safely bring back our employees and we’re ready.""We have gone through and trialed these processes," Farley said. "... We are working with our union and government partners to restart.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Ford plans to begin the process of restarting plants&nbsp;in Europe on May 4, and "a small number" of hourly and salaried employees will return to work this week in North America to begin installing equipment.In addition, Ford will be providing protective equipment to car dealerships for staff and customers, some of which is made by Ford.&nbsp;Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2020/05/02/uaw-leader-praises-coronavirus-worker-safety-protocols-ford-sites/3073881001/to help improve our site experience!More Stories

Get the newsShare This Story!Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutUAW engaged by safety measures as Ford prepares to reopen factories during pandemic.A link has been sent to your friend's email address.A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Join the ConversationTo find out more about Facebook commenting please read theWelcome to our new and improved comments.This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.You will need to register before adding a comment.Typed comments will be lost if...

public

Phoebe Wall Howard

The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primarily serves Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties.  The Free Press is also the largest city newspaper owned by Gannett, which also publishes USA Today. The Free Press has received ten Pulitzer Prizes and four Emmy Awards. Its motto is "On Guard for 189 Years".

UAW leader 'encouraged' by Ford plants' safety protocols as reopen date considered

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS