Without a contract for nearly two years, CSN paramedics are raising their voices and blocking the two SAQ distribution centers in Montreal and Quebec. The union members are targeting the state-owned company, a symbol of large revenue streams for the government, to cause economic disruption.
In the metropolis, 200 demonstrators showed up around 7 a.m. Friday morning at the site on rue Tellier in the east of the city to paralyze the movement of trucks that supply the branches. Some 300 people are expected at the scene during the day. Same scenario in Ste-Foy at the Einstein Street distribution center, where 150 demonstrators were present at 7 a.m.
“We want to tell the government that there is an urgent need to resolve [les négociations], argued the representative of the pre-hospital sector at the FSSS-CSN, Jean Gagnon in an interview with Le Devoir on Thursday. We want to show that the government has the money to take the necessary steps. »
In a press release published Friday morning, the pre-hospital union indicates that “this major action announces others to come”.
The collective agreement for 3,600 paramedics expired on March 31, 2020 and union members have been on strike since last summer. However, their actions are not very visible to the public since they are required to maintain essential services. They continue to respond to calls and carry out all necessary patient transport, but will leave the patient at the hospital entrance rather than escorting him inside, as was the case during the COVID. They will also complicate billing operations and refuse to bring back a companion, forcing the employer to pay for transportation.
A conciliator was appointed to the file after a blitz of negotiations last December that failed to reach an agreement between the two parties. Meetings are scheduled soon. But the CSN believes it is necessary to put more pressure on the government. “The union members are out of breath, they want it to unblock,” explains Mr. Gagnon.
The union plans to return to court soon to obtain more leeway in the application of pressure tactics.
Claims
Union workers have three major demands: they want a catch-up salary, an end to shift hours – which require them to be available 24 hours a day for seven days online – and ways to ensure they can eat and finish their shifts at the scheduled times.
Last December, the government proposed salary increases of 6% over three years. However, according to the CSN, this offer “would have the effect of further increasing the pay gap between paramedics and all the other employees they work with on a daily basis”.
According to the representative of the pre-hospital sector Jean Gagnon, paramedics are paid less than other employees in emergency trades, such as police officers and firefighters, and than health professionals such as nurses. “Our salary is too low, the government needs to adjust it because of the training we have — everyone has a college degree — and the work we do. Our salary is much lower than what is comparable. »
Another element claimed by the paramedics is the end of shift schedules, which is in effect in the majority of regions. This type of schedule is considered “obsolete” and affects the quality of life of employees, both in terms of hours of sleep and work-family balance. As they answer calls from their homes rather than in the ambulance, the union estimates that “this can add up to 10 minutes to the response time of paramedics in areas covered by such schedules,” the union said in its statement. Press. This additional time can make a significant difference when it comes to saving a life or limiting complications and preserving the quality of life of users. »
Finally, the negotiations stumble over the issue of overtime. “We are entitled to a quality of life even if by nature, our work in emergency situations requires that we be able to deal with the unexpected, indicates the president of the Syndicat des paramedics des Laurentides et Lanaudière CSN, Patrice Girard, quoted in the press release. But it is becoming more and more a management practice to require us to work beyond the scheduled hours. »