Starting Monday, May 25, the General Motors CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll Ont., is expected to get a lot busier as more workers return to the plant amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, around 300 of the 2,500 employees at the plant returned to work, according to Mike Van Boekel, the Unifor Local 88 plant chairperson at CAMI Ingersoll, with the rest expected to return in revolving shifts.
Van Boekel told Devon Peacock on 980 CFPL’s Morning Show Wednesday that there are “mixed feelings” from employees about returning to the plant next week.
In recent weeks, outbreaks have been reported at workplaces where workers are in-close proximity to each other, such as at meat production plants and mail processing plants.
Van Boekel says the employees at CAMI Ingersoll are working within six-feet of each other, “…but safety glasses and a mask are mandated at all times, so hopefully it works.”
In addition, new regulations and protocols have been set in place for staff entering the plant and starting a shift.
Smoking at the plant has also been banned.
According to Van Boekel, the new schedule that’s rolling out Monday involves employees working two shifts instead of three, and keeping one shift laid off so one-third of workers will have time-off at all times.
“This will rotate for the next few months.”
Van Boekel says auto sales dropped by 70 per cent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That’s a major concern for not just us, but also the ripple effect in the community.”
He adds CAMI Ingersoll plans to have employees back to working three shifts instead of two in a few more months.