Alstom restructuring operations, eliminating 150 jobs in Montreal
by The Canadian Press
Transferring activities to Europe due to proximity to customers, French company said
MONTREAL—French train manufacturer Alstom is eliminating about 150 full-time positions, or more than half the workforce, at its Montreal plant as it transfers activities to Europe.
The company, which has partnered with Bombardier Inc. to build rail cars fro the Montreal subway system, is reducing staff in Quebec because its main customers are based in Europe.
Spokesperson Michelle Stein says the Montreal plant, which employs 260 workers, specializes mainly in traveller information systems as well as security and information systems inside the rail cars.
She said elimination of the non-union positions should be completed by the end of November.
About 100 employees will remain to complete certain aspects of the Montreal Metro contract.
The decision doesn’t affect about 50 unionized employees who work at an Alstom plant in Sorel-Tracy, Que.
Montreal Board of Trade president Michel Leblanc lamented the job cuts but noted that the transportation sector is cyclical.
This week Alston also announced that a consortium it is part of had won a $625-million railway signalling contract in Spain.
Reports have also surfaced that General Electric Co. (GE) is considering making a bid for the company.
—With files from The Associated Press
