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FCA Sterling Heights Plant Back To Work After COVID-19 Concerns

(CBS DETROIT) - Things are back to normal at the Chrysler Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. This comes after Covid-19 concerns put the brakes on production over the weekend.

Saturday evening production stopped at the assembly plant in Sterling Heights. Workers became concerned after a fellow employee was sent to be tested for Covid-19. This echoes the closure of the FCA Jefferson North Assembly Plant just last Thursday.

"Everybody said it was clear something was wrong with her, nobody wants to say COVID or whatever, but they know that she was sick," the Jefferson North Assembly Plant employee who wishes to remain anonymous.

The employee says that the incident prompted production to stop at her plant last week. She says an employee became ill and had to be tested for the coronavirus. She says this was not the first time someone became ill, and she's concerned the plant is not taking proper safety protocols.

"She went to medical around 8 o'clock because it happened in the morning, they did not sanitize her station till around 12:46," the employee said.

FCA says that the employees' test was negative. According to the anonymous employee, another worker who tested positive for Covid-19 in May worked for three days at the plant before being sent home. She says people are coming to work sick and not speaking up over fear of losing their jobs. 

"People are getting sick, they're not taking the proper protocol, which is endangering us too," the employee said.  

The UAW released the following statement, "The UAW's priority is the safety of our members and their families and communities. Under the protocols that we worked out when there are concerns, the UAW and our members work with FCA to address those concerns. In this case, it was deep cleaning the area and addressing safety precautions."

There's no word on the Covid-19 test results from the Sterling Heights employee.

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