French tyre manufacturer Michelin is set to reopen its UK factory in Stoke-on-Trent in a few days – Michelin’s production workers are set to return to the site from April 27 (there will be a phased return) while work has continued for its warehouse workers and HQ staff.
Earlier, on March 26, production was halted as Michelin coped with the growing challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. However, according to Michelin Stoke factory manager Francois Levert, a “vast majority of production workers are part of the Government’s coronavirus job retention scheme” where each worker is entitled to 90% pay during the shutdown – irrespective of the monthly £2,500 (US$3,000-plus) Government furlough cap.
“The Government scheme pays 80% of an employee’s salary, up to a certain limit each month, but Michelin is making that up to 90% with no cap because we want to protect people’s finances.”
Meanwhile, Michelin has reportedly used “global best practices, way above UK guidelines, to keep people safe in the factory.” Levert said that a huge amount of work has been done to ensure the safety of production staff as they return to work, including newly-developed, stringent equipment measures.
“There are many variables which go into deciding when a factory will reopen, but we hope to welcome back all our manufacturing colleagues who are not self-isolating or able to work from home by the end of April.”
As one of a number of local companies supporting the Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s coronavirus relief effort, Michelin has also donated 1,500 face masks to the council’s care workers. “We are incredibly grateful and conscious of the risks the care workers are taking on our behalf – we are now looking to produce masks as well,” Levert added.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is needed in vast quantities in cities and countries battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected over 2.7 million people already.
Council leader Abi Brown said, “Michelin has donated 1,500 pairs of visors to us. We are really pleased that they’ve stepped up to help our front-line staff, our care workers.
“We’ve also put out a call for PPE from businesses, but because we don’t know how much necessary equipment we will need, anything anyone locally can give us is great.”