Two Workers At Fiat Chrysler Die Of Coronavirus

(RTTNews) - Two employees at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles factories in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus, according to the United Auto Workers Union.

In a statement on its website, the UAW said that two of its union members have lost their lives to the virus. One of the members was an employee at the FCA facility in Kokomo, Indiana, while the other member worked at FCA's truck assembly plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

The UAW also said that American Axle and Manufacturing agreed to close its facility in Fraser, Michigan, after a worker at the location tested positive for coronavirus.

Following days of negotiations with the UAW, Ford Motor, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler agreed last week to stop production at their North American plants until at least March 30 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the UAW noted that Ford will not reopen its plants on March 30 as was originally planned, due to numerous stay-at-home orders from government officials. FCA said it intends to comply with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's order and does not plan to reopen on March 30.

Several companies in the U.S. are shutting down factories, withdrawing their earnings guidance, and suspending share buybacks as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to worsen in the U.S.

Meanwhile, the White House and Senate leaders have reached an agreement on a $2 trillion stimulus bill to combat the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The package will cover individuals as well as those small industries finding it difficult to survive.

According to data released by the Johns Hopkins University, the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has surged tenfold in the past week to more than 50,200.

Among other automakers, Honda Motor will shut its North American factories for six days due to a slump in demand, while Nissan Motor will halt production at U.S. manufacturing facilities from Friday through April 6.

South Korea's Hyundai Motor has already shuttered its Montgomery, Alabama, assembly plant after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, while Toyota Motor announced it would close its North American plants for two days this week.