Quebec will be unable to pay on time the retroactive amounts promised to tens of thousands of health and social services workers during the last collective agreement negotiations. The “logistical challenge” is too great, explains the Ministry of Health.
Over the past few days, workers in the health and social services network have received “memos” from their employers. They advise them that they will be unable to “meet certain deadlines for the payment of retroactivity” provided for in the most recent collective agreements.
The agreements provide for a series of retroactive payments for the years 2019-2020, but also salary increases and bonus adjustments, which must be made at various deadlines after the signing of the agreements.
Three of the four health unions having agreements with Quebec confirmed in To have to that their members would be, in whole or in part, affected by the problems under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS). In total, at least 92,000 workers will therefore be affected by the problem.
At the MSSS, spokesperson Marie-Hélène Émond explained in an email that “the constraints currently experienced are not related to technical issues, but rather to a major workload, both for health establishments and for companies. payroll processing ”.
“The volume of modifications to be processed, the retroactive scope of these and the deadlines all converging in the short term imply a significant logistical challenge for all the actors involved in the process,” she added.
The spokesperson could not say how many employees in the network could be affected or advance on the amounts of money at stake. “Currently, all the CISSS and CIUSSS are [touchés] by these changes. The amounts to be paid vary greatly from one employee to another, depending on the job titles and the terms to which they are entitled, ”wrote Mr.me Émond. She then assured that despite the delays, employees should not have fears. “They will receive all the amounts owed to them. “
“Frustrations”
At the Fédération des professionèles (FP-CSN), the first vice-president, Jessica Goldschleger, argues that the absence of a common front during the negotiations could have complicated the task for the ministry, whose computer systems must adapt to a series of different deadlines. “It sure bodes badly,” she told the To have to. It creates frustrations that are not necessary. This work was predictable, I don’t understand why they didn’t start working on the computer system before. “
At the union where she works, 6,500 workers are affected by the problem. The deadline for the payment of a first lump sum, scheduled for November 21, may not be respected by Quebec. A series of other deadlines – notably for salary increases, December 4 – will arrive in the coming weeks. The salary adjustments that had to be made within 90 days of signing a pay equity agreement in July could not be made on time, Mr.me Goldschleger.
The collective agreement that Quebec signed with the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ) provides that the “maximum time limit” for the payment of retroactive sums for hours worked in 2019-2020 ends on November 6. However, “due to a delay in programming the payroll software, they will not be able to touch the lump sums provided for in the new collective agreement in time,” argued the union representing 76,000 professionals in a press release. Various bonuses – for retention and attraction or for full-time evening and night work – are also blocked because of the problem at the ministry, according to the FIQ.
At the Quebec Union of Service Employees (SQEES-FTQ), 10,000 members are also affected. In particular, retroactive sums must be paid before November 24. “It’s really boring. You know, our members have been in the field for a year and a half. We find that it is really a lack of recognition ”, indicated its president, Sylvie Nelson.