Big Three Automakers Reinstate Mask Mandates For All Workers

America’s largest automobile manufacturers, along with United Auto Workers (UAW), will require all employees to wear masks again starting Wednesday.

The decision was made by a COVID-19 task force comprised of health officials from UAW, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which manufactures Dodge and Chrysler vehicles. All workers, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, have to wear masks at plants, office buildings, and warehouses, UAW announced in a statement Tuesday.

The union said the decision was made in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) updated guidance regarding the delta variant of COVID-19. The CDC recommended last week that vaccinated as well as unvaccinated people continue to wear masks indoors in public if they are in a high risk area.

“While we know that masks can be uncomfortable, the spread of the delta variant and recent data outlining the alarmingly high rate of transmission among those unvaccinated is a serious health threat,” UAW said in the statement.

The task force had announced in June that fully vaccinated workers would be able to return to work without masks by July 12, but changed its position this week due to a rise in delta variant cases.

“The Task Force met and, after reviewing the recently changed CDC guidelines and community COVID-19 trends, decided it is best for worker safety to resume wearing masks in all worksites,” UAW said.

While cases have risen across the country in recent weeks, deaths have remained stagnant, according to data aggregated by USAFacts.

Several major companies have reinstated mask mandates following the CDC’s guidance.

Fast-food chain McDonald’s announced it would be requiring all workers and customers, vaccinated and unvaccinated, to wear masks in areas designated by the CDC as high risk. Home Depot and Target also require masks again.