Automakers shut North American plants over coronavirus fears | CBC News

Ford, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, Honda and Toyota confirm they will temporarily shut down all North American factories due to the coronavirus threat.

Ford said its plants will shut down after Thursday evening shifts, through March 30. Fiat Chrysler’s closures will start in phases on Wednesday and run through March 31. GM spokesperson Jim Cain said its shutdown will also start Wednesday and last through March 30; it will take several days to complete the shutdown and operations will be evaluated weekly after that.

“We have been taking extraordinary precautions around the world to keep our plant environments safe, and recent developments in North America make it clear this is the right thing to do now,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement.

The move by the Detroit Three automakers will idle about 150,000 workers in that region. They likely will receive supplemental pay in addition to state unemployment benefits. The two cheques combined will equal about what the workers normally make. Cain said the pay at GM was still being negotiated with the union.

Ford said it will work with leaders of the United Auto Workers union in the coming weeks on plans to restart factories. The union has been pushing for factories to close because workers are fearful of coming into contact with the virus.

Honda had first announced plans Wednesday morning to close for a week starting Monday, putting additional pressure on Detroit’s automakers. Toyota plants will close Monday and Tuesday, reopening Wednesday after a thorough cleaning, the company said.

In addition, Hyundai suspended production at its plant in Montgomery, Alabama, Wednesday after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus that caused COVID-19. The company said production would resume once its health and safety team determines that the plant has been sufficiently sanitized.

The decision by Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler reverses a deal worked out late T