Nissan to furlough about 10,000 workers in Mississippi, Tennessee

Robotic welders work on the bodies of 2016 Nissan Motor Co. Altima mid-size vehicles at the company’s North America manufacturing plant in Canton, Mississippi, U.S., on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016. The U.S. Census Bureau is scheduled to release durable goods figures on September 28. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

by: CNN Wire

Posted: Apr 6, 2020 / 07:23 PM AST

Updated: Apr 6, 2020 / 07:23 PM AST

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(CNN) — Nissan plans to furlough most of its hourly manufacturing employees as its US plants remain closed to help slow the spread of Covid-19.

Lloryn Love-Carter, a company spokeswoman, said that the company will furlough about 10,000 employees Tuesday at plants in Canton, Mississippi and two locations in Tennessee: Smyrna and Decherd.

Nissan is asking furloughed employees to apply for unemployment through at least April 27, when the company plans to restart production.

Nissan closed its US plants on March 20.

Automakers across the United States have halted production — including Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler — in the face of the pandemic.

Additionally, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said that factory closures have so far affected roughly 40% of workers directly employed in vehicle manufacturing in Europe. The work stoppage has already reduced regional production by 1.2 million units, it added.