A first healthcare union federation in Quebec is rejecting a proposed regulation and intends to renegotiate its members' working conditions.
According to Radio-Canada, around fifty representatives of the Federal Council of the Quebec Health Federation, affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (FSQ-CSQ), member of the Common Front, rejected 98% of the sectoral agreement on December 24 in the reached in the last few days.
In a statement shared with more than 5,200 members of the FSQ-CSQ on Thursday, the negotiating team said it was aware that certain aspects remained a serious nuisance, in particular the increase in overtime at double rate on weekends, which doesn't apply to everyone. or the inequality between part-time and full-time employees in the granting of overtime, as well as the non-payment of a percentage of permits from professional orders.
The delegation concluded that there had been setbacks at the negotiating table, which is why the panel concluded that the agreement was not interesting enough to present to you.
In December, the Ministry of Finance nevertheless insisted that the regulatory proposal agreed with the Fédération de la santé du Québec would, in particular, enable a better work-life balance and an improvement in the range of services offered during shifts and a more flexible work organization for the benefit of the entire population.
The FSQ-CSQ represents more than 5,200 nurses, practical nurses and respiratory therapists working in the Montreal, Laval, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec and Gaspésie regions.
It was one of the smallest health unions in the Common Front.
The negotiating team intends to request the intervention of an arbitrator and informs members that they will soon vote on the agreement in principle for a cross-industry settlement on salary, insurance, parental rights, inequalities and retirement.
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Éric Gingras, Robert Comeau, Magali Picard and Francois Énault at a press conference (archive photo)
Photo: The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes
Possible effects
During the Common Front negotiations, the Confederation of National Unions (CSN), the CSQ, the Federation of Quebec Workers (FTQ) and the Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel in Health and Social Services (APTS) jointly negotiated cross-industry compensation clauses.
Nevertheless, each union negotiated industry clauses.
According to our information, the FSQ-CSQ decision could have an impact on the approval processes of other healthcare unions.
For example, on the part of the Health and Social Services Federation (FSSS-CSN), the largest healthcare union with 120,000 members, delegates from affiliated unions recommended the proposed regulation in early January. General meetings must take place by February 20th.
In this case, members are asked to vote as a whole, without distinguishing between sectoral and intersectoral voting.
This decision by the FSQ-CSQ could also have implications in connection with the creation of the Santé Québec single employer. Each union must highlight its strengths during the crackdown to represent the 300,000 public health workers.
The Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ), which represents 80,000 nurses, has not yet reached an agreement.