AVON LAKE, Ohio — Employees at Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake have confirmed to 3News that their shifts ended early Friday and they will be laid off for the next week due to part shortages.
Union officials confirmed the information to 3News' Brandon Simmons but didn’t want to elaborate any further until they were able to send proper communications out to union members.
While no one is able to confirm that this is related to the truckers’ protest in Canada, NBC News has confirmed that other Ford plants, and manufacturers have been forced to pull back on production at other locations.
Last month, the Canadian government required all truckers crossing the border to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to avoid a 14-day quarantine. On Jan. 22, the United States began enforcing a similar requirement, mandating that people entering the U.S. from the northern and southern borders be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and be prepared to show related proof of vaccination.
In response to the new restrictions in Canada, long-haul drivers and their supporters launched a protest — the “Freedom Convoy 2022." They first staged a protest in Canada's capital city of Ottawa, before expanding their demonstrations this week. They have blockaded the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit.
An employee at Avon Lake says he believes they ran out of engines which are produced in Windsor.
This is a developing story. Stay with 3News for more details as they develop.
VERIFY's Kelly Jones contributed to this report
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