{"id":206612,"date":"2021-08-03T17:06:34","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T21:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=206612"},"modified":"2021-08-03T17:06:35","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T21:06:35","slug":"detroit-automakers-reinstating-mask-mandate-for-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2021\/08\/detroit-automakers-reinstating-mask-mandate-for-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Automakers Reinstating Mask Mandate for Workers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise again, the Big Three automakers and UAW agreed to reinstate mask mandates for hourly workers across the U.S. However, they did stop short of requiring vaccines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ford
Workers at Ford’s Dearborn Truck plant, above, and all other facilities will be required to wear masks starting Wednesday.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The decision came in the wake of new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s for workplaces. CDC officials warned July 30<\/a><\/u><\/strong> that fully vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in public places in \u201careas of substantial and high transmission.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new recommendations are a result of the impact of the Delta variant of COVID, which is easier to catch, according to officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Task Force met and, after reviewing the recently changed CDC guidelines and community COVID-19 trends, decided it is best for worker safety to resume wearing masks in all worksites,\u201d the UAW said in a statement<\/a><\/u><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile we know that masks can be uncomfortable, the spread of the Delta variant and recent data outlining the alarmingly high rate of transmission among those unvaccinated is a serious health threat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No exceptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Masks are required regardless of the person\u2019s vaccination status, according to the UAW, which reiterated its support for getting vaccinated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"UAW
UAW President Ray Curry informed union members in a letter about the mask mandate while urging them to get vaccinated, if possible.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

“We are urging all UAW members and their families to get vaccinated,” UAW President Ray Curry told members in a letter Tuesday, according to Reuters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe science is telling us very clearly that the only way to get back to normal is to reach a heightened level of immunity However, we also know that for some, there are religious and health reasons for not getting vaccinated.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not just the Detroit automakers on alert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. also reinstated its mask mandate for all U.S. employees, according to Reuters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe health and safety of employees remains our highest priority,\u201d the company said in a statement emailed to TheDetroitBureau.com. \u201cDue to the increase in COVID-19 cases and modified guidance from the CDC, Nissan is reinstating mask protocols at our U.S.-based facilities. \u201cWe continue to work closely with local and state healthcare agencies to monitor and evaluate COVID-19 case data to make adjustments to our safety protocols where needed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A masked employee in the body shop at Stellantis\u2019 Detroit Assembly Complex \u2013 Mack plant inspects a Jeep Grand Cherokee L.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

During an online conference call with the media last week, Toyota\u2019s Chief Administrative Officer Chris Reynolds said the company was considering reinstating some of its COVID-related protocols<\/a><\/u><\/strong> but had not yet made a final decision about what may happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always told our teammates the virus runs the show here,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company retained some of its protocols, but much of it \u2014 for example, wearing a mask \u2014 was voluntary. Reynolds noted the company\u2019s entry questionnaire and the temperature checks were eliminated as they were found not to be as effective as expected, plus the company had no confirmed cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hyundai Motor America paused plans to bring employees back to its California headquarters and is on high alert for its other U.S. facilities. Mercedes-Benz\u2019s U.S. operations moved quickly after the new CDC guidelines were issued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe informed employees that, effective immediately, MBUSA will require all employees and contractors to wear an approved mask while indoors at all company facilities nationwide,\u201d said Rob Moran, the head of U.S. public relations, told TheDetroitBureau last week. \u201cThis revised requirement,\u201d he added, \u201cis independent of vaccination status and location.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise again, the Big Three automakers and UAW agreed to reinstate mask mandates for hourly workers across the U.S. However, they did stop short of requiring vaccines. Find out more at TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4389,"featured_media":159345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12,7,5],"tags":[2001,1970,1922,2003,2004,2002],"make":[],"post-state":[335],"category_old":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206612"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206612"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206612\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":206618,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206612\/revisions\/206618"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=206612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=206612"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=206612"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=206612"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=206612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}