DETROIT – The United Auto Workers (UAW), General Motors Co., Ford Motor Company and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) announced today they are forming a COVID-19/Coronavirus Task Force to implement enhanced protections for manufacturing and warehouse employees at all three companies.
The companies have not announced a shutdown. In a joint statement, the CEOs 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.”
UAW President Rory Gamble, GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett and FCA CEO Michael Manley will lead the task force.
They will be supported by:
- Terry Dittes, vice president, UAW-GM Department
- Gerald Kariem, vice president, UAW-Ford Department
- Cindy Estrada, vice president, UAW-FCA Department
- The medical staffs, and the manufacturing and labor leadership teams at all three companies
“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.”
All three companies and the UAW are working to coordinate action to prevent the spread of 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. As the joint task force identifies enhancements, each company, together with the UAW, will provide regular updates to the workers in their facilities.
