Зараженные рабочие и нехватка ресурсов: почему американская индустрия автомобилестроения медленно возобновляет

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(DETROIT) — The U.S. auto industry’s coronavirus comeback knowing turned into rather straightforward: restart factories gradually and push out autos and other autos for ready customers in states left largely untouched by the virus outbreak.

Yet the return from a two-month production shutdown hasn’t long past rather consistent with state. For some automakers, paunchy production has been delayed, or it’s been herky-herky, with production lines stopping and starting due to contaminated workers or parts shortages from Mexico and in other locations.

“There’s a lot that can traipse injurious in bringing folks assist into the vegetation to look at out to construct very advanced assemblies,” said Kristin Dziczek, vice president of industry and labor at the Center for Automotive Study, an industry think tank.

Most automakers closed factories in mid-to-late March when workers began to receive sick because the radical coronavirus unfold. The factories began to reopen on one or two shifts in mid-Also can as state effect-dwelling restrictions eased, with automakers touting safety precautions that comprise checking workers’ temperatures, certification by workers that they don’t possess signs, social distancing, time between shifts and plastic barriers the effect that you just would imagine to effect workers apart.

Light, some workers obtained COVID-19, even supposing it’s no longer identified the effect they had been contaminated. In some cases they quiet came to work, forcing companies to shut vegetation fleet for cleaning. In no longer no longer up to 1 case, a employee at a seat-making plant come Chicago obtained the virus, forcing a shutdown and removal parts. Long-established Motors had to prolong along with shifts at truck vegetation for the reason that Mexican authorities wouldn’t allow paunchy parts factory restarts except June 1.

Ford perceived to be hit the hardest, pausing production a half-dozen times in Dearborn, Michigan; Chicago and Kansas Metropolis, Missouri; to disinfect equipment and isolate workers who might per chance well furthermore possess come in in contact with folks who examined obvious.

Honda and Toyota every reported transient production pauses to disinfect equipment when a minute selection of workers turned into contaminated. GM and Fiat Chrysler said they possess no longer shut down production lines due to contaminated workers.

None of the automakers would give precise numbers of workers who possess change into sick since vegetation had been restarted. The United Auto Workers union said Ford and GM possess had no longer no longer up to a half-dozen cases, whereas Fiat Chrysler has had 5. Not no longer up to 25 UAW people employed by the Detroit Three possess died from the virus this One year, nonetheless it completely’s no longer obvious the effect they caught it.

Dziczek says the on-and-off work stoppages will construct it no longer easy for automakers to meet any increased question.

“I suspect right here is the manner right here goes to be for a whereas,” she said. “You might per chance well furthermore want to possess the confluence of wholesome workers, a wholesome supply chain and wholesome question all at the the same time.”

U.S. auto gross sales possess tanked for the reason that virus began spreading in March, with gross sales in April down 46% from a One year ago. Analysts are forecasting an development in Also can, nonetheless quiet a One year-over-One year decline of extra than 30%. Cox Automotive predicts that Also can pickup truck gross sales will seemingly be down 18% from a One year ago.

No topic these declines, automakers are reporting depleted supplies at some sellers, especially for pickup autos within the Midwest.

Assembly lines at Ford’s 4,000-employee pickup factory in Dearborn, Michigan, had been closed twice due to workers with the virus or union fears that the shutdowns weren’t lengthy ample.

The UAW native at the plant filed a criticism against the firm seeking a paunchy shutdown and testing of every employee, said Gary Walkowicz, a native bargaining committeeman. The native furthermore wants a 24-hour ready length after equipment is disinfected to restart the plant.

GM spokesman Brian Rothenberg said it’s being vigilant about making obvious companies observe safety protocols.

“We now possess advocated for as indispensable testing as that you just would imagine and total testing when it’s accessible,” he said.

Ford procedures, following more fresh solutions by the Products and providers for Illness Administration and epidemiologists, grunt equipment is stable within minutes of being disinfected. In some cases the firm has waited several hours before bringing workers assist.

“We are requiring our team to possess a look at these protocols in our facilities – and encouraging them to cease the the same originate air of work,” Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said.

GM announced that production will receive closer to accepted starting Monday as it provides shifts “to meet strengthening customer question and solid vendor question.” A firm commentary said three pickup truck assembly vegetation will traipse from one to three shifts, whereas three SUV vegetation within the U.S. and Canada will traipse from one shift to 2.

At GM’s pickup truck factory in Fort Wayne, Indiana, employee Andrea Repasky turned into ready for the decision to return to work on the third shift.

“I’m ready to head assist, as lengthy as all people appears to be cautious and stays stable,” she said. “We now want to head assist sometime, lawful?”

Fellow workers possess instructed her that GM is doing all it will to provide protection to workers from the virus as they return to work, Repasky said. Yet she knows contaminated folks might per chance well presumably unintentionally unfold the virus if they don’t possess signs.

“I don’t know that anyone wherever can in reality construct it so we don’t take dangle of it,” she said.

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