With its offer of 9% increases over five years, the Quebec government is “slapping” the nurses, who have given everything for years, deplores the FIQ.
In an interview on Friday, Françoise Ramel, vice-president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), reported that her members, nurses, nursing assistants and other healthcare professionals were downright “offended” by the government offers presented Thursday at the all state employees.
Quebec offers increases of 3% the first year, then 1.5% for each of the following four years, for a total of 9%.
But it also offers a lump sum of $1000 for the first year. It also plans to devote an amount equivalent to 2.5% to “government priorities”. It is not yet known how the sum for these priorities will be deployed and for which job titles.
By adding the percentage increases, the lump sum and the amount for government priorities, Quebec arrives at an offer equivalent to 13%.
” Ashamed “
But for the FIQ, this does not take into account the glaring reality in the health network.
“To dare to offer 9% over five years is really shameful on their part. It’s really a slap in the face even more to the healthcare professionals, who have been giving everything for years, and it’s really a slap in the face to the network,” exclaimed Ms. Ramel.
In terms of remuneration, the FIQ is demanding a permanent salary adjustment mechanism in the collective agreement and that each rate and each salary scale be increased by 4% for each of the three years of the collective agreement.
She is also asking for a salary “upgrade” of 6% of each salary rate and scale.
The FIQ does not know what the amount equivalent to 2.5% for “government priorities” implies. “It’s the mystery of the moment,” concludes the sociopolitical and status of women vice-president.
TSO and ratios
And it’s not just salaries. The FIQ remained unsatisfied with crucial questions for its members, concerning the famous TSO (compulsory overtime), the nurse-patient ratios and the use of private employment agencies.
“We are waiting for a law on the ratios,” insists the vice-president of the FIQ. And compulsory overtime “exhausts[nt] all personnel” leaving the public network. We must therefore improve all the working conditions of nurses in the public network, she explains.
In its offer, Quebec has indeed proposed discussion forums to thoroughly address certain points, but Ms. Ramel has no illusions.
“The discussion forums, there were plenty of them that never took place and that did not succeed. And these are endless discussions. We have the solutions, ”she says.