French industry can safely return to work

French companies in the auto, aerospace and metallurgy industries are poised to return to work and provide "impeccable sanitation" to the country's metallurgical lobby on Sunday, and called on the government to spell out the country's plans.

President Emmanuel Macron is due to address the nation on the new coronavirus situation on Monday night.

It is expected to extend the national quarantine program introduced to contain the spread of the new coronavirus for the second time after April 15.

After 24 days of lockdown, the industry is in "an extremely alarming situation," UIMM President Philippe Darmayan told Le Parisien newspaper.

UIMM represents 42,000 companies in the automotive, steel and aviation industries.

“This cannot last very long. Otherwise, we will face a series of bankruptcies tomorrow, ”said Darmayan, who is also President of ArcelorMittal France.

“Today we know how to safely operate our workshops and we are ready to restart in perfect sanitary conditions,” he said.

Darmayan added that many companies have decided on protective measures for employees, such as wearing masks, splitting jobs and cutting six from eight working hours to ensure decontamination of workplaces between shifts.

“We'll need a recovery plan ... so we can see clearly. It needs to be built quickly. Let's not add economic and social drama to the health disaster.

“I expect the president to tell us:“ You are important to the nation ”; “I realized that you can organize yourself in the face of a crisis,” Darmayan said.

Toyota on Friday presented to French unions a plan to phase out production at its Onnaing plant in northern France from April 21.

The plant that assembles Toyota Yaris has been closed since mid-March. Two of the three teams should be back to work.

On Friday, the CGT union voted against the plan. Other unions will vote after assessing the health and safety measures proposed by management on Tuesday.