all over us bluecollar and salaried workers have raised their hands to make medical equipment as companies repurpose factoriesdetroit cindy parkhurst could have stayed home collecting most of her pay while the ford plant where she normally works remains closed due to coronavirus fears instead she along with hundreds of workers at ford general motors toyota and other companies has gone back to work to make face shields surgical masks and ventilators in a wartimelike effort to stem shortages of protective gear and equipment i didnt give it a second thought said parkhurst 55 a tow motor driver who is now helping ford and its partner 3m manufacture and ship respirators its a neat thing to do for the community for the first responders who definitely need this kind of protective gear advt all over the country bluecollar and salaried workers have raised their hands to make medical equipment as companies repurpose factories to answer calls for help from beleaguered nurses doctors and paramedics who are treating patients with the highly contagious virus workers also are making soap and hand sanitizer which early in the crisis were in short supply at ford over 800 people returned to work at four detroitarea sites general motors which president donald trump had alternately criticized and praised for its work has about 400 at a nowclosed transmission plant in suburban detroit and an electronics factory in kokomo indiana working on shields and ventilators about 60 toyota workers both salaried and bluecollar are making protective equipment in kentucky texas michigan and alabama most automakers in the us temporarily stopped making vehicles about a month ago after workers complained about the risks of infection at the factories many whitecollar workers are being paid to work remotely but members of the united auto workers who dont have that option are still collecting pay and unemployment benefits that equal about 95 of regular takehome wages those workers making medical gear will get their full base pay but thats not whats motivating them to keep coming to the factories many simply want to help jody barrowman has been making face masks at a repurposed former general motors transmission factory near detroit since early april advt instead of being home and not helpful i thought id be productive here she said she jumped at the chance to work because gm is donating the masks to hospitals and first responders which is where it needs to go she said barrowman said that the operation has been so efficient that workers have been allowed to take masks home for family members i dropped some off at my grandparents my parents took a full packet of masks at my house so its not just helping the first responders its helping me and my family feel safe she said inside a building on toyotas giant factory complex in georgetown kentucky mechanical engineer kirk barber helps to ship thousands of face shields that workers are making while plants are shut down sometimes he personally delivers