Bombardier says that it is recalling most of its employees it placed on furlough now that it has put government mandated safety measures in place to slow the spread of coronavirus. Suspended manufacturing and service activities will gradually start up again from 11 May.
Bombardier will have almost 11,000 employees return to work across its aviation and transportation sectors as well as at the company’s corporate office. The return-to-work schedules will be site-specific and incorporate new health and safety procedures. The suspension of non-essential works became effective on 24 March.
In the transportation sector, Bombardier has the following sites in Canada:
- a systems engineering site in Kingston, Ontario, which has worked on projects like the Vancouver SkyTrain, the monorail system in Riyadh and the monorail system for the São Paulo metro
- a rail vehicle production site in La Pocatière, Québec
- an engineering site and the divisional headquarters in Saint-Bruno, Québec
- a rail vehicle production site in Thunder Bay, Ontario
All employees who do not need to be physically at these production or service sites will continue to work from home.
“As we resume operations across many of our sites, the health and safety of our employees, our customers and the general population will continue to be our top priority. I deeply believe that by continuing to work in close collaboration with the employee representatives and public health authorities in all the countries where we operate, Bombardier will establish itself as an example of a dynamic and responsible industrial leader in the global recovery.”
Bombardier will take advantage of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, a governmental benefit to pay certain employees in Canada.
“Our industries are among the most affected by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. And, I want to thank the federal government for putting this bold initiative in place to support Canadian workers and companies. I also want to thank the union leaders for their collaboration and support during these difficult times. Above all, I want to thank our employees and their families for their patience, understanding and dedication as we take the necessary actions to navigate through this global crisis and protect our business for the long-term.”
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