Union members of the Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN) who voluntarily travel to a hospital other than their own will be entitled to a fixed amount of $50 or $100 per day, in addition to reimbursement according to their mileage. Everyone will also be able to self-manage their schedules if they wish. This is what was indicated to the Duty the union, whose members voted by majority in favor of the agreement in principle concluded with the government.
Since the start of negotiations, the Quebec government has been demanding “flexibility” from state employees. The question of travel between units, hospitals or health establishments remains a point of dispute between Quebec and the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), who always negotiate in the presence of a mediator.
The FSSS-CSN, for its part, has reached an agreement in this regard. It represents nearly 120,000 employees in the public health and social services network.
“The trip is voluntary,” says its president Réjean Leclerc. If I travel on a given day, I am paid for my mileage, plus a flat rate of $50 for a distance of 20 km to 100 km, or $100 for 100 km or more. » He maintains that the government initially wanted to impose compulsory travel on employees “in all directions” and “without conditions”.
Self-managed schedules and seniority
All members of the FSSS-CSN — beneficiary attendants and nurses alike — will be able to self-manage their schedule if they wish. “It’s a big piece. This is completely new,” emphasizes Réjean Leclerc. Among the 52 unions of the FSSS-CSN, only “a few” had local agreements on this subject. The possibility of resorting to self-management of schedules is now part of the “national” agreement. “The employer will have to have a good reason to refuse it,” he says.
According to him, members view self-management “favorably,” because it will allow them to not work on days when they should have done so. He cites the example of a beneficiary attendant with little seniority who has no vacation during the summer. He may, in agreement with the other employees of his team, work seven days in a row, then have seven days off. “People organize themselves to get their leave instead of having leave requests refused because the employer says: ‘I don’t have any staff’,” he explains.
The agreement in principle concluded between the FSSS-CSN and Quebec also recognizes the seniority of employees who left the public network to work in placement agencies (attendants, nurses, etc.). The government wants to attract them in order to replenish its ranks.
According to the agreement, seniority will be recognized from March 2020 and up to six months after the creation of the Santé Québec agency. Up to five years of seniority could therefore be recognized. “Even if you have been with the agency for 10 years, the start date for recognition is March 2020,” recalls Réjean Leclerc.
Quebec will also recognize “all” the seniority of union members who left one health establishment (CIUSS or CISSS) to work in another.
Bonuses will also be increased for evening, night and weekend shifts as well as in departments.
The union, however, claims to have made no gains regarding the ratios of patients per professional. “That’s the problem,” said Réjean Leclerc. We asked, we held firm, but at some point we have to agree. »
Reactions in Quebec
In a press scrum at the National Assembly, the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, confirmed that “integration measures” concerning the independent workforce were “accepted” by the FSSS-CSN. “There is a similar measure that is at the negotiating table with the FIQ, but for now, we will let everything take place at the negotiating table,” she added. Contacted subsequently by The dutySonia LeBel’s office indicated that it did not want to comment on other aspects of the agreement with the FSSS-CSN.
Asked about seniority in the press scrum, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, “welcomed” this agreement. He recalled that many employees have left the public network since the pandemic, in March 2020. According to him, the recognition of five years of seniority could convince some of them to return to work in the network.
Asked to comment, the FIQ responded that the seniority of the independent workforce is “a subject at the table” for negotiations. “As for the content of the discussions, we do not negotiate in the public arena,” we added. The union represents 80,000 nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists.