Union leaders at Škoda Auto are demanding two-weeks off for all employees of the company, a move which would shut down production. “I want to agree on a 14-day quarantine during which they will be in isolation in order to find out if they have any symptoms and so someone could check them,” said union boss Jaroslav Povšík. The company should use the downtime to disinfect the entire factory, he said, demanding at the same time that it provide sufficient disinfectants for employees to use.
Shutting up shop for two weeks appears drastic, and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš opposes the idea but Povšík pointed out that by doing so the company could avoid widespread contagion between workers. One worker who worked in the Škoda Parts Center next to the main factory in Mladá Boleslav has already tested positive for COVID-19. Interestingly, Povšík predicts that the current crisis could have long-term effects. “Industry 4.0, electric mobility, connectivity, all of these systems are threatening employment,” he said. “This will speed this up.” He said Škoda Auto should ensure that the impact on employees was minimal and suggested that new hirings should be stopped and that older workers could be offered deals to retire early. Union leaders at Hyundai have echoed the call to close down for 14 days.
