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Ford temporarily halts work at 2 plants; Rolls cuts jobs

The Big 3 automakers restarted their plants on Monday -- a big step in the motor city's return from the pandemic.
Credit: AP
In this Nov. 11, 2014 photo, Ron Hudgins welds a 2015 Ford F-150 cab at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. General Motors, Ford, jet engine maker Rolls-Royce and other companies are talking to their governments about repurposing idled factories to produce vital goods to fight the coronavirus such as ventilators and surgical masks. On Friday, March 20, 2020 President Donald Trump invoked the Korean War-era Defense Production Act, allowing the government to marshal the private sector to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it allows the government to steer factories to overcome shortages, makers of heavy goods such as cars and trucks can't just flip a switch and produce something else. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

DETROIT — Ford temporarily halted production at two assembly plants Tuesday and Wednesday after three workers tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 

The Big 3 automakers restarted their plants on Monday -- a big step in the motor city's return from the pandemic. The companies say they have implemented new safety measures for employees -- but the UAW has been critical of the move to reopen, saying it is too soon and too risky. 

The shutdowns show the difficulty that automakers and other businesses will have in trying to reopen factories in the midst of the pandemic. 

Aerospace engine maker Rolls-Royce plans to cut about 9,000 jobs globally as it grapples with the collapse of air travel due to the pandemic. 

The new CEO of United Airlines says it may take until there is a vaccine for COVID-19 before most people feel comfortable about air travel. 

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