(Montreal) The FIQ delegates, meeting on Wednesday, unanimously rejected the new offer from the Quebec government, presented last Sunday.
“As the health network falls into ruin, as professionals sacrifice their physical and mental health to provide care to patients and as the quality of this care is jeopardized, this proposal demonstrates the government’s lack of respect towards a workforce predominantly made up of women,” said the president of the FIQ, Julie Bouchard.
Delegates from the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ) met on Wednesday to analyze the new offer presented last Sunday by the president of the Treasury Council, Sonia LeBel.
Last Sunday, Quebec increased its offer from a 9% salary increase over five years to 10.3%. It maintains the lump sum of $1,000 for the first year of the contract, a non-recurring amount, which was part of the first offer submitted in December 2022.
Also, the amount equivalent to 2.5% reserved for government priorities such as differentiated offers linked to the organization of work, increases to 3%.
The president of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, defended her offer and invited all unions in the public and parapublic sectors to seriously analyze it.
“Yes, we must better pay state employees, but I also have the responsibility that each dollar from taxpayers’ pockets is maximized and has a long-term impact in our networks, and not a temporary effect. This is why we absolutely must address issues related to the organization of work,” she said.
In addition to salaries, the FIQ also criticizes other requests from Quebec addressed to its members, in particular that concerning the flexibility expected of nurses in the face of changes in work shift, care unit or establishment, depending on the needs.
Although Minister LeBel tried to reassure the FIQ by saying that no one would be forced into this matter, the union organization replies that this is not what it hears at the negotiating tables. We tell the FIQ that we will first look for volunteers, but that if there are none, we will still have to proceed.
Nurses perceive this request as a lack of recognition of their expertise and experience, explains the FIQ.
The FIQ has already planned two days of strike, November 8 and 9. These are therefore maintained.
“This strike is made necessary by the government’s inability to listen to the recommendations and demands of the FIQ,” supports the union organization of 80,000 nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists.