Minivan Production Temporarily Stopped Due To Coronavirus Concerns:

Only hours after news broke that the Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario would extend the third-shift that was originally planned to end on June 29th, by two weeks, over 100 employees have refused to come to work. According to FCA Canada, a plant employee placed under self-quarantine because of “possible secondary contact which caused concern to the plant employees about possibly being exposed to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

FCA spokeswoman LouAnn Gosselin stated that there was no confirmed case of COVID-19 at the Windsor plant. “There currently is one employee out on self-quarantine as a precaution because of possible secondary contact,” says Gosslin. “As a result, plant employees are concerned about possible exposure and have refused to work since mid-afternoon on March 12.”

Canada’s Ministry of Labour is reporting that around 166 workers were refusing to work at the plant.  The Ministry of Labour visited the plant on Thursday, where they investigated and determined that actions in place at the plant were deemed as a safe work environment. 

“We are working with the local union and Unifor leadership as well as government officials to address this issue in order to restart production as soon as possible,” says Gosselin. “We continue to monitor the situation carefully and take precautions to safeguard the health and welfare of the FCA family.”

Production of the three products (Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Voyager, and Dodge Grand Caravan) had to be suspended after the concerns of exposure. Production resumed at 3:00 p.m. today, according to FCA. There are still no confirmed cases yet, at the plant according to the company.

Production resumed at about 3 p.m. Friday, according to a second statement from FCA. The company added there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus at the plant.