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Detroit automakers keep their masks on to keep the factories running

United Auto Workers members leave the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Warren Truck Plant in May. Fiat Chrysler along with rivals Ford and General Motors Co., restarted the assembly lines after several weeks of coronavirus lockdown. (AP)   DETROIT — When the coronavirus pandemic slammed the United States in March, the Detroit Three automakers shut their plants and brought their North American vehicle production to an unprecedented cold stop. Now, four months after a slow and sometimes bumpy restart in May, many General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles  factories are working at close to full speed, chasing a stronger-than-expected recovery in sales. So far, none of the Detroit Three has had a major COVID-19 outbreak since restarting production, even as the coronavirus is surging in Midwestern and Southern communities outside factory walls. "We have people testing positive, but it's not affecting operations," said Ford global manufacturing chief Gary Johnson. Keeping the pandemic at bay has pushed the automakers and 156,000 U.S. factory employees represented by the United Auto Workers into unfamiliar work routines and extraordinary levels of cooperation among the rival automakers that will have to be sustained for months to come. For automakers, the automakers' COVID response has been as much about instilling new habits as relying on new technology. Workers log their symptoms, or lack of them, into smartphone apps and walk past temperature scanners to get to their work stations. But company and union executives said masks, along with physical distancing, are the key to keeping assembly lines rolling. "The mask is the foundation" of protecting workers on the job, said Johnson. Complaints about masks Autoworkers are accustomed to wearing protective gear such as shatterproof glasses and gloves. Masks that cover the mouth and nose, however, were not standard equipment on auto assembly lines, and were a tough sell at first. "The biggest complaint is wearing a mask," United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble told Reuters. "A lot of our members perform physical tasks. Wearing the mask inhibits breathing." Beyond that, Gamble said, masks and distancing make it harder for workers to have conversations on the job or socialize during breaks. "ThatÂ’s pretty much out the window, and it makes for a longer day," he said. Masks make it harder for co-workers to read each other's expressions — often crucial in the noisy environment of a car plant.

Ford stops JV work In Russia, Stellantis donates to Ukrainian refugees

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is obviously killing civilians and destroying infrastructure throughout the country. ItÂ’s also affecting the auto industry there and across wider Europe, from the wiring harnesses we mentioned earlier today to new announcements from Ford and Stellantis. And thereÂ’s reason to think in bigger terms than todayÂ’s business deals, since there are massive lithium deposits in the ground in Ukraine. What this means for raw materials for future electric vehicles canÂ’t yet be determined, but itÂ’s worth thinking about as the world reacts to RussiaÂ’s actions. Following decisions by Apple and other major automakers to stop or otherwise curtail activities in Russia, Ford announced that it will suspend all of its joint venture operations in Russia, effective immediately, until further notice. “As part of the global community, Ford is deeply concerned about the invasion of Ukraine and the resultant threats to peace and stability,” the company said in a statement. “The situation has compelled us to reassess our operations in Russia. In recent years, Ford has significantly wound down its Russian operations, which now focus exclusively on commercial van manufacturing and Russian sales through a minority interest in the Sollers Ford joint venture.” Even though Stellantis only has 71 employees based in Ukraine, it announced today it will donate 1 million euros (around $1.1 million U.S.) to Ukrainian refugees and civilians. StellantisÂ’ head of operations in Ukraine will help the automaker work with local non-governmental organizations that are supporting Ukrainians to get the funds where they need to go. “Stellantis condemns violence and aggression and, in this time of unprecedented pain, our priority is the health and safety of our Ukrainian employees and families,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement. “An aggression that shook a world order, already unsettled by uncertainty, has been launched. The Stellantis community, made of 170 nationalities, looks with dismay as civilians flee the country. Even if the scale of casualties is not yet apparent, the human toll will be unbearable.” As of this morning, Stellantis said all of its 71 employees there were safe. This is not a normal line to read in automotive press releases, but this is not a normal time.

Ford offering emergency strobes on Super Duty trucks [w/video]

If you're driving a Ford Super Duty, chances are you've got a job to do. It could be construction or maintenance, or it could be something big you're hauling, but either way, you may need to warn others in the vicinity that you're on the job. Which is why Ford is now offering strobe warning lights on its F-Series Super Duty trucks. The $700 option includes a pair of amber LED strobe lights on the hood (by the base of the windshield), another pair at the back on either side of the high-mounted stop light, and a trim panel with four switches on the center stack inside. The equipment can be factory-installed or dealer-installed after sale, are covered by warranty, require no drilling for installation (to reduce risk of corrosion), are programmable in different patterns and can be seen from up to a mile away at night or a thousand feet during the day. See a demonstration in the video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.