Coronavirus closures: Bridgestone will send 1,400 workers home from Des Moines tire plant

Bridgestone is sending about 1,400 workers home from its Des Moines agricultural tire manufacturing plant for two weeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, beginning Sunday morning.

It's the first major Iowa production facility to shut down due to the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19. "They're really looking out for their employees," said Steve Vonk, president of U.S. Steelworkers Local 310, which represents workers at the plant.

Bridgestone Americas said Thursday it's closing all North and South American facilities to protect the health of employees during the pandemic.

"We hope other facilities follow their lead and do what's right to contain this virus," said Vonk, who has worked at Bridgestone for 32 years and led the union for eight.

Many manufacturers are struggling with the issue, working hard to protect employees while also keeping them employed, said Mike Ralston, president of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.

"I expect there to be others. The question is how many," said Ralston, whose group represents about 1,500 businesses that employ about 331,000 Iowans. Most members are manufacturers.

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Production in Iowa ranges from manufacturing RVs, planters and tractors to making grain bins, breakfast cereal and processing pork and beef. Ralston said it's critically important that many facilities, such as those for food production, remain open.

Typically, workers and machines in production facilities are spread out, which helps prevent the virus' spread, he said. And some companies have put up barriers between people who work closely together.

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About half of Iowa’s 221,000 manufacturing jobs are located in rural areas, according to Iowa State University. Production is a significant industry in Iowa, providing nearly 20% of the state's $190 billion in economic activity in 2018.

"As long as they can be safe, it's important to these families that we keep it business as usual if possible," Ralston said.

Vonk said Bridgestone workers will be paid about 80% of their normal salary during the shutdown, through a combination of company pay and unemployment insurance benefits.

No employee at the Des Moines plant — the largest agricultural tire operation in the world — has tested positive for the coronavirus, Vonk said.

Donnelle Eller covers agriculture, the environment and energy for the Register. Reach her at deller@registermedia.com or 515-284-8457.

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