Chicago's Ford plant reopening Monday with new safety measures

CHICAGO - Chicago's Ford plant is reopening next week.

The manufacturing plant will use technology to ensure the health and safety of its workers.

The union president that represents the employees says about 3,000 people will be returning to work on Monday.

Every day before a Ford employee enters the building, they must complete a mandatory online survey to screen for possible coronavirus exposure. As they enter the plant, they will walk through a temperature scanner and anyone at 99.5-degrees or over will not be allowed in.

Employees will also be given two facemasks per day.

“There’s a lot of people that are scared. There’s a lot of people that can’t wait to go back to work. And a lot of people that are still questioning how the process is gonna work,” said Chris Pena.

Pena is the president for the United Auto Workers Local 551, which represents workers at the assembly plant on Chicago’s Southeast Side. He says the company is phasing in employees and that another group will return in June.

“The goal is to prevent any kind of exposure to the virus,” he said.

Pena says deep cleanings will happen in-between shifts and 150 hand-sanitizing pumps have been added around the plant to keep people safe.

Early Friday, the CEO of Ford Motor Company said it is piloting watches by Samsung that beep whenever anyone else wearing one comes within 6-feet.

“We really wanna start the economy, but we wanna do it in the safest way possible,” Pena said.

Ford’s Stamping Plant in Chicago Heights is also expected to open Monday.