GM hopes to resume production of cars on May 18 in the United States

(New York) General Motors (GM) announced on Wednesday hoping to reopen its factories in the United States and Canada on May 18.A decision likely to delight Donald Trump who advocates an acceleration of the discontent in order to stabilize the outbreak of unemployment and restart the economic machine seized by the coronavirus pandemic.

The health crisis, which forced the giants of Detroit-GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler (FCA US)-to close their North American factories in mid-March, swallowed up a large part of the profits in the first quarter and cost 1.4 billionfrom dollars to GM, forced in April by M.Trump to produce respirators in his Kokomo factory (Midwest).

The car manufacturer has come out somewhat by managing to generate a net profit of $ 247 million, while its competitors have displayed losses.

"An important organization is underway to restart operations in North America," said GM, who wants to rely on the lessons learned in South Korea and China in particular.

Production resumed in China in mid-February, while it has never been interrupted in Korea.

"We are going to start by training our employees in CDC and WHO health protocols," insisted financial director Dhivya Suryadevara, during a conference call with journalists.

Social distancing, site disinfection, temperature taking on employees, improving the ventilation of factories and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as mask, are part of the health measures that the giant ofDetroit wishes to establish to avoid contamination in its factories.

Detroit's "Big Three" has also already promised that he will also put hydroalcoholic gel available to employees and employees who do not feel well will be tested.

GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler have also agreed to soften their policies on absences, which would allow employees to stay at home if they do not feel well.

But the concerns of the powerful UAW automobile union remain on work stations because employees work side by side and in front of the other on the assembly lines.Social distancing will therefore be difficult to implement.

Most GM factories are in Midwest, especially in the Michigan and Ohio states.The first extended confinement, intended to limit the spread of COVVI-19 disease, on May 15, while the second wants to revive economic activity from May 11.

Besides GM, Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) announced Tuesday that he hoped to produce cars again in the United States from May 18.Ford has not yet set a date.