Opioid crisis hits nonunion plants, too

The opioid epidemic isn't just a problem for the UAW and Detroit 3. In fact, the states where opioid abuse is most rampant are home to numerous nonunion auto plants.

Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, BMW, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have plants and offices in the drug's hot zone.

Although their workers don't have the extra protection against termination that a union contract can provide, several of those automakers said their policies provide support for employees who develop an addiction and maintain their job status during recovery treatment.

Nissan, for instance, offers access to substance-use treatment through its employee assistance program, the company said through a spokeswoman. "Employees who voluntarily seek treatment for addiction issues are placed on a leave of absence for the purpose of participating in a rehabilitation program," the statement said.

The UAW contracts stress a zero-tolerance environment for the sake of occupational safety. Workers enjoy some protection if they seek help but risk losing their jobs for relapsing repeatedly.

But at nonunion plants, there can be less of a safety net.

John Parker, a Honda line worker in Ohio, got an OxyContin prescription in 1999 after a back injury on the job led to a decade of chronic pain and several unsuccessful surgeries. He quickly became dependent on the drug and twice sought treatment for his addiction, which later grew to include heroin, cocaine and Percocet. In March 2006, he was found dead with a syringe in his arm, a lighter, a spoon and 37 OxyContin pills.

This is according to a 2009 appeal filed against Honda of America Manufacturing and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation by Parker's widow after death benefits were denied three times. The rationale for the denial, according to court documents, was Parker's use of illegal substances, which "broke the chain of causation between his work injury and his death."

The appeal was denied, and the case was closed. A spokesman for Honda declined to comment on the Parker case and said the health and well-being of its employees are the company's highest priorities.

"Honda recognizes that the opioid crisis is a very serious societal issue facing many local communities and we are committed to providing a safe working environment for all of our associates," Honda said in a statement.

Mercedes and Toyota did not respond to numerous requests for comment. BMW and Volvo declined to participate in this report.

At the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant in Montgomery, a spokesman said a variety of programs are available to employees who need help.

"We recognize the impact addiction can have and are fully committed to helping our team members who have a problem," the company said in a statement. "We provide all of our team members with access to an employee assistance program that provides confidential and professional counseling and referrals to other appropriate services to deal with personal problems."

At Subaru of Indiana Automotive, associates are not disciplined or terminated if they fail their first random drug test, according to Craig Koven, communications and external relations manager at the plant. Instead, they are placed in a rehabilitation program.

Random drug testing in Subaru's lone U.S. plant has risen alongside an expansion of its work force, Koven said. In the last several years, the Lafayette, Ind., plant has expanded repeatedly to match soaring demand for its vehicles and now employs 5,700 people making nearly 400,000 vehicles a year.

"More associates has resulted in more random drug testing," Koven said. "This is because we take pride in our people, their safety and our quality. In particular, we take pride in our [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] incident rate over the past 20 years, which has annually been the lowest in the automotive manufacturing" area.

Subaru's employee assistance program offers treatment services for drug dependence. In response to the opioid epidemic, Koven said, the plant has put a greater emphasis on education about mental health and substance abuse.

"We attempt to reduce the stigma associated with those issues as character flaws," Koven said. "Instead, we want our associates to let us know if they notice a colleague who appears to be having issues and may need assistance."

For those entering inpatient treatment facilities, short- and long-term disability programs provide income replacement. The plant also has a health and wellness center on-site that follows state guidelines for how opioids should be prescribed to reduce dependency. For example, such prescriptions cannot exceed seven days, in accordance with a 2017 law.

"As it specifically relates to opioids, we regularly review aggregate medical and prescription plan data indicators to identify potential abuse," Koven said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the drug overdose death rate increased more than 22 percent in Indiana from 2016 to 2017. But some headway has been made in the state's efforts to combat drug use disorders, with the latest progress report by the American Medical Association Opioid Task Force showing that opioid prescriptions had decreased 35 percent from five years earlier.

Jack Walsworth contributed to this report.