Earlier today, Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, circulated a video among employees informing 95 percent of them that they are now unemployed, according to many newly appointed employees who said they received an email containing a link to video.
According to a newly appointed employee who did not wish to be named, staff received an email on Wednesday night instructing them to expect an important announcement later this afternoon. Although they were told last week they would be retained so they could access the exhibits and work as soon as the coronavirus was released, Lamarre laid off 95 percent of the company's employees, including management and artistic directors in two extraordinary minutes. video. "I wish I had the opportunity to speak to you personally," Lamarre said video
"The tone was just amazing," said the source, "especially (for someone) I met who once wore Bono glasses."
Last week, Cirque du Soleil, who also owns Blue Man Group and V-Star Entertainment, has closed its shows in Las Vegas and around the world because of the coronavirus. After the show closed, temporary and contract workers, including everyone from agricultural equipment suppliers, according to a source, were told they would be notified when their jobs were resumed. However, the remaining employees are expected to be notified of further layoffs by management. Instead, executives found at the same time their teams were doing it, leaving 4,679 people inactive in the video just a minute longer than television commercials.
Fifteen minutes after receiving the video, a select group of workers were given the opportunity to receive conference calls, where former employees thought they could get more details. Instead, the former employee says, the staff listened for another eight minutes, during which Lamarre "complained in shock" before telling the audience that WWII was the only economic crisis he had imagined to compare the difficulties with hanging the phone as questions poured. (Jezebel contacted Cirque du Soleil for comment and will update if they respond.)
And even though callers learned that health insurance would be paid for six months to full-time employees, according to a former employee, they would not be able to cash-in any paid time off or sick leave days, because doing so would indicate that the employee had left, leaving them eligible for unemployment – financially most of them are left today.
Lamerra crossed the line following his financial base, leaving employees, many of whom have worked for the company for more than a decade, in shock. "Everyone is confused, shocked and chewing," the source said.
And while the outbreak of the coronavirus has affected many, leaving workers disenfranchised with no source of income, an innocent video sent to workers around the world and a congressional link to a few selectors looks like an innocent way to spread the news to hundreds of thousands of people Lamarre refers to as a family
"In these difficult times," Lamarre told viewers as they learn they will not have any future prospects, "the most important thing will be to stay in touch with others" before encouraging those who are interested in signing up to visit the staff website for updates.