The shortage of workers in assembly lines is being caused by COVID-19 and quarantines.
While COVID-19 infection rates are on the rise in the United States, most businesses remain open to business. This is true for all automakers in the United States, but a new report by WOSU Public Media indicates that Honda has taken aggressive steps to ensure its Marysville assembly plant continues to be operational.
According to the report, Honda requires white-collar workers in office positions for work on the plant’s assembly line. A Honda spokesperson confirmed this to Motor1.com
Honda employees who are involved in research, development, purchasing and accounting are being approached to work on assembly lines. Honda claims that the company has previously taken similar steps, but the WOSU report identifies an anonymous employee who claims to not have seen such an action before. The employee also claimed that Honda started the process by asking for volunteers. However, it became mandatory because there were not many volunteers.
This raises additional questions. Not least, what kind of work are office workers expected to do? What training is being provided to get these workers up-to-speed with assembly work? How many workers in the production line are being displaced at the plant because of this? Honda did not immediately respond to our request for more information.
Honda’s main statement does, however, emphasize safety measures taken to keep workers on assembly lines as safe as possible.
According to the WOSU report, not all Honda employees are happy with this arrangement. They have concerns about working in areas that have had COVID-19 positive tests. The report also cites a representative of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) Union questioning the training of these individuals when they suddenly found themselves in the same situation. According to some reports, workers sent to production do not receive any training once they arrive at work. Marysville is not a member of the UAW.
This situation is likely to last for a while. Marysville’s sprawling facility is home to several Honda and Acura models, including the Accord, CR-V, and the Acura TLX/ILX.