While significant progress has been made in recent hours in negotiations between the Quebec government and education unions, talks with the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec are still at an impasse.
Despite the resumption of work at the negotiating table, a quick agreement to renew the collective agreement of the 80,000 nurses and other health workers who belong to the FIQ appears increasingly unlikely.
“We don't have the impression that things are progressing very quickly,” said Marguerite Denis, an auxiliary nurse at Santa Cabrini Hospital, in an interview with RDI on Thursday.
“I’m a little discouraged by the government,” she continued. I think the biggest issue, at least for me, is patient care. We have such a heavy workload, we have so many difficult conditions… I personally am not able to provide my patients with the care that I would like to provide them.
The tricky salary question
In addition to working conditions, the salary issue continues to divide the two camps.
In December, FIQ called for a 20% increase for its members over four years. In return, the state government offered him 12.7% over 5 years.
“The problem is that we have two parties that are more stuck in their positions,” explained Pierre-David Gagné, a nurse in the operating room at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital, in an interview with RDI on Thursday.
I expect it to be difficult and perhaps a long time. “I’m not sure we’ll achieve anything before the end of January,” Mr Gagné said. We will have no choice but to add water to our wine on both sides.
However, several FIQ union members say they are willing to be patient and take the time necessary to reach an agreement that truly recognizes the importance of their role in the health system.
The FIQ negotiating committee is still working on an agreement. He announced on Friday afternoon that he had submitted a new offer to the leadership party.
– With information from Charlotte Dumoulin