Ford’s stamping plant in Hamburg will resume production on May 18, as part of a wider “phased restart” of the automaker’s factories.
The Route 5 plant makes stamped metal parts for a variety of Ford vehicles. The automaker said the plant will return with a two-shift pattern for the F-series line of trucks, while other product lines will return with just one shift.
Ford temporarily closed its plants in late March, after the United Auto Workers raised concerns about worker safety amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We’ve been working intently with state and federal governments, our union partners and a cross-section of our workforce to reopen our North American facilities,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer.
“We have reopened our facilities in China, successfully begun our phased restart in Europe and have been producing medical equipment in Michigan for more than six weeks and are using the lessons from all of that to ensure we are taking the right precautions to help keep our workforce here safe,” he said.
In commenting on Ford’s reopening, Rory Gamble, president of the UAW, offered views similar to what he said about General Motors’ decision to return to production.
“While the companies have the sole contractual right to determine the opening of plants, our UAW focus and role is and will continue to be on health and safety protocols which we have the contractual right to protect our members,” he said.
Posted by The Buffalo News
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