WestJet, a Calgary-based airline has announced that the company will further lay-off 3,000 of its workers in early May as demand for flights craters amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in March, the company laid off 6,900 of its workers amid a dramatic downturn in business because of COVID-19.
The number of people who lost their jobs represents about half of the company’s workforce, WestJet said earlier in a release on laying off 6,900 of its workers.
Ed Sims, the company’s President and CEO, said the airline is currently seeing less than 5% the number of passengers it was seeing before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
“The reality of this crisis continues to require WestJet to make mission-critical decisions to ensure the sustainability of our airline,” Sims said in a release. “These decisions, while difficult, are being thoughtfully and methodically made so that we can weather this crisis and be ready for a future where we can provide inactive WestJetters with fulfilling employment once again.”
Sims went on to say that WestJet would use the federal government’s wage subsidy to retain workers on its payroll to ensure they remain “connected to the company.” The airline rehired nearly 6,400 workers with the help of the federal government’s wage subsidy earlier this month.
“We continue to work with our employee and labour groups on ways to maintain employment through the crisis,” Sims said.
Chris Rauenbusch, President of CUPE 4070 — which represents cabin crews at WestJet and Swoop — said the union was aware the moves were on the way and had been working with the company to determine next steps.
“So by being inactive, a flight attendant remains on payroll up to 75 per cent of their wage, paid for through the company but ultimately paid for by the federal government through the [wage subsidy],” Rauenbusch said. “They will be recalled from layoffs in accordance with seniority when the time comes.”
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