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Production was originally slated to resume at the plant, which makes medium-duty commercial trucks as well as cutaway vans for General Motors, on April 6. However, the stoppage in production was extended to April 27 before company officials stated that production would not resume until May.
Navistar announced earlier this week that it would continue manufacturing operations at other plants depending on market conditions.
“As an essential business critical to supporting our country’s increasingly stressed supply chain, Navistar plans to continue manufacturing operations at all plants subject to market conditions, component supplier disruptions and the continued spread and impact of COVID-19,” representatives of the company said.
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In terms of the Springfield plant, they added that "due to component supplier constraints, the stoppage at Navistar's truck assembly plant in Springfield has been extended through early May."
Chris Blizard, the president of UAW Local 402, said most workers at the Springfield plant have been temporarily laid off as a result of the stoppage in production. His union represents assembly production workers there as well as those in skilled trades.