The ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has completely upended General Motors’ production operations in North America, with manufacturing facilities suspended in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Now, however, it looks as though GM is calling workers back to the assembly line at its production facility in Arlington, Texas.
According to a recent report from ABC news affiliate WXYZ-TV 7, General Motors recently issued a message to workers asking workers to take up shifts as early as Monday of next week.
“Our customers are counting on our trucks and it is important for the company to changeover to our new trucks as quickly as possible,” the message reads, according to the WXYZ report. “To this end, in the next hours, we will begin calling our full seniority hourly employees to volunteer to commit to work next week beginning Monday, March 30 on a day shift. In addition, volunteers will be solicited for all three shifts in maintenance and repair.”
“Temporary workers will be called if more volunteers are needed,” the message adds.
The General Motors assembly facility in Arlington, Texas, is responsible for production of the automaker’s line of full-size SUVs and trucks, including the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV. The facility spans 4.375 million square feet, and employees 4,255 workers.
According to the report, General Motors needs at least 1,100 workers to run the assembly line day shift. GM says it is taking additional precautions to safeguard employee health, including thermal temperature scanning, questionnaires, and additional cleaning crews. GM also says that the work is expected to last no more than a week, after which employees “would return to layoff status.”
Earlier this week, General Motors announced sweeping salary reductions amid work stoppages resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The reductions include a 20-percent pay deferment for salaried employees working from home, 25-percent salary reduction for GM employees unable to work from home (mostly those in manufacturing and engineering roles), and a 25- to 30-percent pay cut for GM executives.
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Comments
COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) is dangerous for people with underlining conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes; but if an individual has no such underlining medical condition and is between the ages of 25-55, they should be able to return to work without any issue.
General Motors could disinfect their entire work facility and equipment with ultraviolet lights as teams in protected equipment could sweep through the facility to make sure that there is no trace of the COVID-19 bug.
That’s completely inaccurate. Just stop talking.
Companies should be installing ionizers in HVAC ventilation systems, like this one: https://www.rgf.com/product-category/phi-air-purification/
I have their Reme Halo in my home! Helps neutralize pathogens!
Is that anything like what Buick has in some of their cars?
Any.news.on.Grand River Plant resuming
are they doing this to finish up suv’s left on the line when they closed down, or are they trying to finish out the model year and then after a week shut down again and use the time to switch over the lines to build the new 2021 models
Don’t answer the phone….
STAY HOME, FOR GOD’ SAKE. STAY SAFE.
Where is the UAW , this is putting people’s health at risk . Shame on GM ,profit over health. Ok Mary Barra I’ll volunteer to go back to work if you show up too.
All it’s going to take is one person to spread the virus and not even know they have it then take it home to their family and infect them .
There is no way to protect the lives of these people.
No need for hysterics, the article said “voluntary” NOT “mandatory”.
If you are too scared stay the hell home and let those that CHOOSE to work earn some money.
They need to figure out what they are going to do with the 2020 C8. There are thousands of people waiting for their Corvettes. With the 2021 C8’s starting on Sept 1st, assuming this plague is under control, they are never going to fill all the orders. Look for mass cancellations of the 2020’s……………….
Come back to work for a week, then go home again?? What? Why?
Come back work for a week go home. Back in my day we used to work for eight hours, and then go home. And repeat that process five days a week.
call me, I need a job
have all the execs on the line just like the workers. Better yet have them work for one week.
What about the ventilator order from President Trump. People dying of Covid 19 don’t want new SUV’s.
One week’s additional pay compared to the risk involved hardly seems worth it. Potential medical expenses, hospitalization or even fatalities could cause lifelong regret over returning for one week’s pay.