The GM Flint Assembly plant in Michigan has been dealing with a small number of COVID-19 cases among assembly line workers since it reopened in May.
UAW Local 598 chairman Eric Welter told The Detroit Free Press this week that there have been a total of 70 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among GM Flint Assembly workers since May, including a sudden spike last week that saw 25 workers test positive for the virus. Flint Assembly is one of GM’s largest plants and has about 5,500 workers in total, making 70 cases a relatively low figure, Welter said, but he told the Free Press the situation is still “bad and tough to deal with.”
Strict COVID-19 safety protocol measures have been put in place at the automaker’s various plants and distribution facilities around the globe. These safety protocol measures include taking employees’ temperatures before they enter the shop floor, requiring facemasks and other PPE and wiping down work areas between shift rotations. Flint workers have taken some of these measures a step further, the Detroit Free Press reports, performing touch-point cleaning up to seven times a shift and cleaning the bathrooms more often. Plant leadership is also trying to encourage “more transparent” communication with regard to COVID-19 and positive cases within the plant, the publication said.
2020 Silverado HD at Flint Assembly
The GM Flint Assembly plant is one of the automaker’s biggest and most important plants, tasked with building the popular and hugely profitable Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD pickup trucks. The company has been running its large truck and SUV plants at full throttle since they reopened in May as it attempts to replenish its inventory and meet sustained demand for the vehicles.
“Large pickup and full-size SUV plants are all operating on three shifts and at maximum overtime,” the automaker said in its Q3 earnings reports. “Robust, multi-layered COVID-19 safety protocols have been implemented across all of GM’s facilities to help keep employees safe and restore production to pre-pandemic levels.”
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Comments
Guess someone leaked this info to start with. They don’t let this info out here at Wentzville. On a need to know basis, and the public doesn’t need to. Even people in the plant don’t know the totals.
Bedford is the same. GM being GM as usual.
It all depends on the regulations set by state and county health agencies. Some agencies are requiring reporting of workplace and school clusters, there’s no uniform law.
One of the transfers from Lordstown likes to talk to the press for cash. Saw his name in the paper a lot down there, and suddenly I see it in the Detroit News here now. Coincidence? Doubt it.
I think someone gave access to a reporter on one of the private Facebook worker pages. Lots of rumors on there, then the chairman has to issue a statement. Just my opinion.
It is on a need to know bases our plant inform us about the cases but don’t give out team members names. Even with all the guild lines in place, it’s what team members do on there days off that crate the spread of the virus
I do believe it’s up to the state to determine how or where a person contracts it, that’s making it public knowledge.
Most of the people have contracted it outside of the plant not at work.
I am just a line worker here but feel completely confident in the measures GM has taken , have a great day everyone
I completely agree. I also work at Flint and feel safer at work than I do anywhere else. Wash your hands, wear your mask properly and try not to touch your face or pick your nose, you will be fine.
I work in a plant that supplies product to this plant. I can tell you just because they say it’s being cleaned it doesn’t mean it actually is. We’ve had several test positive and also people who were in close contact and they are not handling this the way they should.
I work at flint truck as I said , the plant and gm are handling the situation as they say they are.
I see this first hand the people sanitizing hot points every couple hours, constant mask wearing enforcement and daily temp checks. Not sure what more you or anyone would want?
I just bought a new 2021 chevy HD awesome truck I wish the workers all the best and safest possible work conditions
when the vaccine comes out, i wonder if gm is going to require its workers to take it. no shot, no job.