Story at a glance
- The report says workers returned in preparation of reopening with additional safety measures to guard against the spread of COVID-19.
- The move could be a violation of local and state shelter-in-place orders.
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk has spoken out against coronavirus restrictions.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is readying to resume some car production in the coming days at its Bay Area factory, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The Chronicle reported Wednesday that a handful of workers returned to Tesla’s Fremont, Calif., plant Wednesday to prepare for a reopening of some production lines between now and next week, and that additional safety measures have been put in place at the plant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
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The outlet cited an anonymous source who is familiar with factory operations.
The move could be a violation of local and state shelter-in-place orders meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the Chronicle notes.
Several Bay Area counties, including Alameda, where Tesla’s factory is located, have a shelter-in-place order through the end of May.
Under the current Alameda County health order, Tesla cannot operate its manufacturing line.
But California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week that some manufacturing and logistics businesses would soon be allowed to operate on a limited basis if they take safety precautions and local authorities approve.
A spokeswoman for the Fremont Police Department, which is responsible for the area that encompasses the factory, told the Chronicle “We’re all sort of in a little bit of a gray area,” referring to Newsom’s announcement.
“Having a small team of people in there [who] are social distancing may not violate the [county] health order,” department spokeswoman Geneva Bosques told the Chronicle.
Alameda County has yet to agree to the types of reopenings specified by the governor.
Tesla previously defied the county’s order in mid-March, but eventually sent workers home after about a week after the plant was ruled to be a nonessential business.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been critical of such coronavirus restrictions, railing against them on social media, as well as during a call with investors.
“If somebody wants to stay in their house that’s great, they should be allowed to stay in their house, they should not be compelled to leave, but to say that they cannot leave their house and they will be arrested if they do, this is fascist,” Musk said during the call in late April.
On Thursday, Bloomberg reported Tesla suspended production at its second plant in Shanghai as employers were supposed to return to work Wednesday after China’s Labor Day break.
Bloomberg reported Tesla informed factory workers were told their holiday would be extended, and they would return as soon as May 9. The reason for suspension was not immediately clear.
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