Workers in General Motors, Ford and Stellantis plants will continue to wear face masks for a while longer despite shifting guidelines, according to the UAW.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the COVID-19 Joint Task Force, comprising the UAW, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, has decided to continue to require workers to wear masks at the worksite until the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issues guidelines in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent change in COVID-19 workplace standards,” the union says in a statement.
The CDC, in what is proving to be a controversial move, has relaxed mask requirements for people who are now vaccinated, saying the vaccines are proving to be effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19 among adults. The new guidance opens the door for the reopening of business offices and bringing people together at larger social gatherings and concerts.
The guidance, however, also has sparked confusion because while a preponderance of adults have been vaccinated, large numbers have declined vaccinations for a variety of personal, religious or medical reasons.
The UAW and the Detroit Three automakers are encouraging employees to get vaccinated and in recent months have used their own facilities to distribute the vaccines. However, union President Rory Gamble, who despite actively encouraging employees to get vaccinated, says he is opposed to making vaccines mandatory for auto workers.
Gamble is a key member of the task force formed in March 2020 when COVID-19 was spreading rapidly across the U.S., creating major disruptions throughout the economy. Automakers shut down assembly lines under pressure from employees and amid uncertainty over how the virus was spread. Safety protocols developed in response to the pandemic helped allow plants to reopen last year.
The safety protocols require face masks and face shields in places where workers must work shoulder to shoulder, or directly across from each other, as well as regular deep cleaning.
Carla Bailo (pictured, below left), president of Center for Automotive Research, also notes changes in various plants, include designating which doors employees use to enter and exit and in the layout of lunchrooms and other areas to enforce social distancing.
After reviewing the CDC guidelines and OSHA workplace standards, the COVID-19 Task Force decided it was best for worker safety to wait for expected updates to the OSHA standards and will consult health experts to maintain safety and uniformity during the transition through the pandemic.
The Task Force will reconvene in two weeks and review updates. Workers at Detroit Three plants will continue to wear masks onsite. “We know that masks can be uncomfortable, but we ask that everyone comply,” the task force says in a statement.
“While we continue following the protocols that have kept our workplaces safe, we know that one of the best ways to fight this virus is by getting vaccinated. We encourage everyone to roll up their sleeve so we can move more quickly toward continuing to relax our protocols,” the statement adds.
