Ford, GM, FCA send employees back to work with new regulations in place to prevent COVID-19

On Monday, Detroit's Big 3 - Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler - resumed production at their assembly plants on May 18th but employees may not recognize their workplaces as there a number of major changes being implemented amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

After being closed for two months due to the outbreak, employees were up and at em at Fiat Chrysler's Warren truck assembly plant. 

Plant workers tentatively re-entered the factory and were met with new COVID-19 regulations that facilities are expected to follow: access control, social distancing, sanitation/hygiene, PPE, and contact tracing/isolation.

"Scared, scared to death," said Donna Levitt. "I know personally 5 people that have passed away from this."

Plants across the country were shut down on March 17, six days after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. Now facilities everywhere are implementing new safety measures - from health questionnaires to temperature checks to social distancing.

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This is the new normal but it's very different.

"It was real interesting. From the entrance to the thermal scan, they scanning us in there. It was good though. It was really safe," said worker Roy Young.

Gov. Whitmer announced on May 7 that manufacturing could resume with the correct steps taken. Last week, auto suppliers restarted their factories, now it's time for the automakers themselves.

While there was some trepidation, Young did say he was glad to be back on the job.

"You want me to be honest, I didn't want to come back but I felt good about coming back. It was kinda bittersweet, (had a) nice little break, but I was ready to get back I'm back I feel good," Young said. "It felt good you know just starting the economy back up. Seeing all my good people, we're in this together.'