PSA wants to resume two French plants, but unions disagree

French automaker PSA, the maker of the Peugeot and Citroen brands, said on Friday it came up with health measures to its unions with a view to progressively resume its European plants, which have been closed because of the spread of the coronavirus.

PSA, which has halted production in all its European plants until March 27, did not provide a target date for resuming production, but said that two pilot plants located in Valenciennes and Douvrin, in northern France, could possibly resume from early April with volunteers. But the unions disagreed and said that was too soon.

“The health measures are quite effective, but the time has not yet come. We consider that resuming work would be premature as long as the peak of the epidemic is not behind us,” stated Sebastien Leroy, CFTC union member at the manufacturing plant in Valenciennes.

PSA intended to resume operations at Douvrin engines plant on April 3 and Valenciennes on March 30.

About 52,128 people in France have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed 3,523 people in the country.