KEY POINTS
- Leaders of Detroit automakers and the UAW union have agreed to make face masks optional for employees who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
- Employees for the companies, including non-salaried workers, won’t have to show proof of vaccination, according to officials.
- The UAW and automakers previously lifted some Covid-19 protocols but not the masks, which have been a major complaint of plant employees, many of whom do physical work in hot environments.
DETROIT – The United Auto Workers (UAW) union announced it will stop requiring fully vaccinated workers to wear masks at General Motors (GM), Ford and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler) worksites beginning July 12.
The UAW, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis will continue to follow all state, county and city regulations where they operate facilities.
The Tuesday announcement comes after a task force between the companies and the union reviewed medical experts’ reports, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards on how to safely work through the pandemic.
Workers who are fully vaccinated will not be required to wear masks, but can wear them if they choose to. Workers who are not vaccinated will still be required to wear masks. Workers for the companies, including non-salaried employees, won’t have to show proof of vaccination, according to officials with the UAW and General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler).
The UAW and automakers last month lifted some Covid-19 protocols but not the masks, which have been a major complaint of plant employees, many of whom do physical work in hot environments.
“While the UAW and the companies 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,” the UAW said in a statement. “The Task Force continues to encourage everyone to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated against COVID-19 so that we can protect our sisters and brothers and their families.”
The UAW declined to release an estimate of how many of its roughly 153,000 members with the Detroit automakers have been vaccinated.
