The President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, stressed this Tuesday the importance of “giving ourselves more possibilities” regarding the mobility of health care personnel, as part of negotiations with the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ).
In a letter published in the daily newspaper The Pressshe maintains that the flexibility she demands “already exists in certain local FIQ agreements.” “This makes it possible to deploy initiatives, such as flying teams that lend a hand in the regions, and to reduce mandatory overtime as much as possible. We simply want to apply this principle across all of Quebec.”
Last Friday, the union rejected Quebec’s offer, deploring that its proposals “only worsen an already intolerable situation.” “They require even greater flexibility than that massively rejected by healthcare professionals in April.”
The agreement in principle reached in the spring between the FIQ and Quebec was rejected by 61% of its members. They fear being moved from one place to another without having a say.
On Tuesday, Ms. LeBel wanted to reassure FIQ members about her mobility objectives. “Compliance with the required training and skills of nurses will always be a prerequisite; no travel will be imposed outside of the position that the person occupies,” she wrote.
1/4 [Lettre ouverte de @slebel19] ➡️ The minister finally acknowledges that healthcare professionals could be moved against their will, considering that the government will be able to unilaterally change the workplace while respecting the position.
— FIQ Health (@FIQSante) September 3, 2024
“A complete misstep”
On the social network X, the union reacted to this letter in the morning. “The minister finally recognizes that healthcare professionals could be moved against their will, considering that the government will be able to unilaterally change the workplace while respecting the position.”
The FIQ argued that Quebec had made “a big mistake” last week by submitting its new offer. “Our goal is to reach an agreement that will respect the expertise of our members and the care provided to the population. Healthcare professionals are already doing everything they can to provide care to the population.”
The union announced last Friday that it will ask its members to refuse to work overtime starting September 19.
The collective agreement of the FIQ, which represents 80,000 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists, expired on March 31, 2023.
Further details will follow.