Fully vaccinated Detroit Three autoworkers won't have to mask up

Detroit — Fully vaccinated autoworkers at Detroit Three plants will not be required to wear face masks starting July 12, the United Auto Workers said Tuesday.

The COVID-19 Joint Task Force, comprised of representatives from the UAW, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV, met on Monday and made the mask decision after reviewing data from medical experts and changes in government policies.

Employees who have not been vaccinated will still be required to wear a face mask and plants will still comply with all state, county, and city regulations. 

Ford, GM and Stellantis will use an honor system to tell if employees are vaccinated.

"We expect employees to be truthful regarding their vaccination and symptom status to protect the health and safety of our entire team," GM spokesman Dan Flores said in a statement. "Written proof of vaccination is not required in order to work without a mask, except where required by applicable laws. Proof of vaccination may be requested by our medical team and HR teams in limited circumstances, including for contact tracing and other safety-related reasons. Employee vaccination information will be kept confidential and only released when required."

Autoworkers have been wearing masks since they came back to plants in May 2020 following an eight-week shutdown that started when the novel coronavirus started spreading across the U.S.

khall@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @bykaleahall