My Brothers and Sisters,
I want to start this message today by recognizing our front line workers, our members who have volunteered to step up and make life-saving Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and those who have gone back to help ready the plants for a return to work.
And, although, we all knew this day would come, I know there is a great deal of concern as we begin the necessary process of re-starting our economy. And while it is the companies that have the sole contractual right to determine the opening of plants, we have the contractual right to protect our members, and we will do so at all costs.
We have made it clear in our talks that we are asking for as much testing as possible at the current time. As I’m sure you all know, the situation on testing is very fluid and we are asking for a commitment for full testing as soon as it is available. We have also made it clear to the companies that self-reporting of symptoms and/or exposure to the virus is extremely important. The final point is strict adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
Our UAW focus and role is and will continue to be on health and safety protocols to protect our members.
In sad news today, we have lost two union brothers from LU 719, Progress Rail LaGrange, Illinois due to COVID-19. Our support goes out to their families and friends.
As always, I urge you again to stay safe, continue to support one another and adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV.
For more updates and individual questions that you may have about your worksite, visit https://uaw.org/coronavirus/.
We are all in this together.
In solidarity,
Rory L. Gamble
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