LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As millions of American stay at home to stop the spread of COVID-19 and as thousands of businesses close their doors to allow that, a state lawmaker says it's time for GE Appliances to follow suit at its Louisville Appliance Park.
There, workers continue to manufacture refrigerators, washing machines and other home appliances. While some of those workers say GE is now making a concerted effort to screen out sick employees, they feel the company is putting the community at risk by continuing to operate.
State Rep. Kevin Bratcher, who represents a portion of east Louisville, said he fields about three dozen of those concerns each day, as many of the workers live in his district.
State Rep. Kevin Bratcher, R-Louisville.
“I would hate for anyone to be hurt by this," Bratcher told WDRB News.
In a letter, Bratcher asked GE Appliances President Kevin Nolan to "cease regular operations at the GE Appliance Park until the current state of emergency lifts."
Bratcher's plea coincided with a strike warning from a local union boss. The president of the union that represents about 3,800 GE Appliances production workers on Wednesday penned a letter expressing that he is "exploring the possibility of taking a park wide strike vote" in light of the company's "unwillingness to respond" to the coronavirus pandemic.
Wednesday night, at least three GEA workers said they'd vote for a strike. One of them, Mark Hardin, has worked for the company for 25 years.
“Morale? Everyone’s scared to death. I think it affected production greatly (Wednesday.) Even with people there, we didn’t run good at all," Hardin said. “No matter what they tell you, appliances is not in a life and death situation. We’re putting our families at risk. We’re putting elderly at risk. We’re putting you at risk. We’re putting everyone at risk when we come out of there.”
Hardin also said he feels that Gov. Andy Beshear has "laid down on" the workers' safety.
Meanwhile, Bratcher, a Republican, said it's likely time for the governor, a Democrat, to make the same request that Bratcher did.
“Far be it from me to tell the governor what to do. I think he’s doing a pretty good job right now," Bratcher said. "But, unless he’s got information that I’m not privy to, I don’t see why he doesn’t put his voice in with others.”
GEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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