(Montreal) While the negotiation of its collective agreement with Quebec is slow to adopt a sustained pace, the FIQ raises the tone and launches its slogan: “there are limits”.
Its extraordinary national council met on Friday and launched this new slogan, in addition to taking stock of the state of negotiations with the Quebec government. Collective agreements in the public and parapublic sectors expire on March 31.
The Interprofessional Health Federation claims to have proposed 28 negotiation dates in Quebec, which would have retained only four.
The federation, which represents 80,000 nurses, nursing assistants and other healthcare professionals, maintains that it has been ready to negotiate since November 7, but that the frequency of meetings leaves something to be desired.
Quebec says it is ready to negotiate and instead points the finger at the unions. He also insists that they participate in his discussion forums, while the unions reply that the problems and the solutions are already known and that we must instead move on to concrete actions.
In addition, Quebec also wants to facilitate the integration of nursing staff from private employment agencies into the public network — which will require negotiations with the FIQ, in particular for the recognition of the seniority of private staff.