Transat Announces Plan to Bring Back 4,000 Workers

Transat has announced it will follow in the steps of other Canadian airlines and will apply for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy which would bring back 4,000 employees who are currently temporarily laid off.

On March 23, Transat announced the temporary layoff of 70% of its staff when it was forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to temporarily suspend its flights. Other layoffs followed, eventually totalling 80% of its workforce.

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"Temporarily laying off a large majority of our employees was a necessary but heartbreaking decision," said Transat President and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Marc Eustache. "We are very pleased today to be able to offer them this opportunity. Our employees are Transat's greatest asset and I hope this will bring them some comfort in the face of a situation that is so distressing for all of us."

Employees who are recalled will receive 75% of their baseline remuneration as defined in Bill 14: A Second Act Respecting Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19, to a maximum of $847 per week. They will not be required to work as part of their recall.

This measure will both improve Transat employees' compensation conditions and better position the company to more easily resume its regular operations following the crisis.