The FIQ, which begins another strike sequence on Monday, still believes it is possible to reach an agreement by the end of the year for the renewal of collective agreements. She says she is ready to negotiate even during the holiday season if necessary.
During a press briefing Monday morning, the president of the Interprofessional Health Federation, Julie Bouchard, maintained that it is still possible to reach an agreement by December 31, although she affirms in the same breath that there remain “many pitfalls”.
She cited some of these “pitfalls”, such as the organization of working hours and overtime which could be paid at the straight rate when a nurse works for 16 consecutive hours.
For the FIQ to reach an agreement with the Quebec government by the end of the year, however, “we must not just be in intensive negotiations, we must be in blitz,” insisted the union leader.
The FIQ represents 80,000 nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists in the vast majority of health establishments in Quebec.
Its strike sequence takes place from December 11 to 14.
This FIQ strike is in addition to those of the Common Front and the FAE.
The Inter-Union Common Front, which represents 420,000 workers, has been on strike since December 8th until the 14th as well. And the 66,000 members of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) have been on indefinite strike since November 23.
$100,000 from the Steelworkers
Furthermore, a large private union, that of the Metalworkers, affiliated with the FTQ, announced Monday morning that it was making a donation worth $100,000 to come to the aid of strikers from the common front and the FAE .
The donation will be made in the form of grocery gift cards “to support families most affected as the holiday season approaches,” the union said.
The Steelworkers are affiliated with the FTQ, which is part of the public sector inter-union common front. Last month, several private sector unions affiliated with the FTQ, including the Steelworkers, publicly supported the cause of the public sector strikers.