TOLEDO, Ohio — Just two days after our initial look into complaints from Jeep employees with COVID-19 safety concerns at the Toledo Complex, a letter has been sent to workers saying that multiple changes are being made for safety.
WTOL has received multiple copies of the internal letter sent out today. We reached out to Jeep's parent company, Fiat Chrysler, for comment on the changes. They said they don't comment on internal communications.
The two page letter given to employees has multiple changes in policy announced for the Toledo Jeep plant and re-iterates additional precautions that have already been in place for workers.
This includes a team made up of a supervisor, senior team leader and steward who will document questions and concerns from workers. The letter states that information will be reviewed daily.
One of the Jeep employees we spoke to Wednesday who had expressed not knowing exactly where to go to get concerns addressed praised the establishment of these teams. "I do think that is a really good idea they have had, because the person I have contact with at work almost all day, every day being my team leader, I know I can direct questions towards them," an anonymous Jeep employee said.
Another process that was laid out in the letter is how teams will be notified moving forward if someone tests positive.
It says when a case is confirmed, management and the union will meet the teams.
Those in close contact with the positive case will be interviewed and if appropriate removed until medical determines "final disposition".
Then "level 1" or "level 2" cleaning will be done based on the case.
"It does really clarify because there wasn't any real communication as to what was going to happen. Honestly, that was the first thing from the company or the union that I have heard," an anonymous Jeep employee said.
While this Jeep employee says it is still nerve wracking to go into work at such a large facility with so many employees during a pandemic, these changes are moving them in the right direction.
These changes are in addition to the news we received Wednesday night that the company will have on-site COVID-19 testing for employees.
WTOL has yet to receive word on when that testing will begin.