General Motors is taking on additional temporary workers in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The new workers will build ventilators at GM’s production facility in Kokomo, Indiana.
According to a recent report from local Indianapolis CBS news affiliate CBS4Indy, the new positions offer a starting wage of $16.67, with health care options and holiday pay available after 90 days. The work is between eight and 10 hours per day, with 16 to 32 hours of work per week. Saturday and Sunday work could be required.
General Motors is hosting a virtual job fair on May 6th to cover the job details.
Back in March, General Motors announced it would reconfigure its facility in Kokomo to produce ventilators in collaboration with Ventec Life Systems. The goal is to produce as many as 30,000 ventilators between now and late August as part of a $490 million government contract under the Defense Production Act. GM hopes to ship 6,000 units by June 1st. Hospitals in Chicago were the first to receive the GM-built ventilators.
Prior to the pandemic, General Motors’ Kokomo production facility produced small electronic components for GM vehicles, including engine, transmission, and airbag modules, as well as various sensors and circuit board assemblies.
In addition to producing ventilators, General Motors is also producing other much-needed medical equipment, including PPE such as face masks, latex-free face shields, and protective medical gowns.
Last Thursday, we reported that GM was recalling employees this week in anticipation of a gradual resumption of production operations. The recall was made via an internal alert sent to GM employees asking some salaried workers to return to idled production facilities to prep them for a return to operation. GM suspended North American production operations in March in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
So far, the pandemic, has delayed a number of GM debuts and product releases, including the debut of the new Cadillac Lyriq all-electric crossover and the debut of the new GMC Hummer EV.
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Comments
16 bucks an hour. 🤷♂️Decent money. I’ve done worse, for less.
i thought gm had to pay UAW members even though they aren’t working due to the pandemic.
if true, why aren’t they doing this?
Maybe that was just for salaried employees. Hourly employees could file for unemployment, if they were furloughed. Honestly, its hard to find any info on how the hourly employees are being treated, even on the UAW website.
Way down in Kokomo?
Just in time for this all to end….