In this Nov. 11, 2014 photo, Ron Hudgins welds a 2015 Ford F-150 cab at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. General Motors, Ford, jet engine maker Rolls-Royce and other companies are talking to their governments about repurposing idled factories to produce vital goods to fight the coronavirus such as ventilators and surgical masks. On Friday, March 20, 2020 President Donald Trump invoked the Korean War-era Defense Production Act, allowing the government to marshal the private sector to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it allows the government to steer factories to overcome shortages, makers of heavy goods such as cars and trucks can't just flip a switch and produce something else. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya, Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
DETROIT – Ford Motor Company is recalling a small crew to begin working Monday, April 7 to prepare its factories for their reopening amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Ford says the factories’ actual restart date has not been determined yet.
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The skeleton crew will consist of hourly and salaried workers, officials said. Beginning Monday, the crew will start putting safety protocols in place for when the factories officially reopen.
“Ford and the UAW continue working closely on initiatives to keep our workforce safe when we do restart our plants,” said Kelli Felker, Ford global manufacturing and communications manager, in a statement. “We will share more information at a future time.”
This news comes just after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the state’s stay-at-home order until May 15. Some businesses and activities are allowed to reopen if following strict social distancing measures.
Ford plants had previously hoped to reopen on April 14, but has since changed course as the pandemic continues to affect businesses across the state and country.
