(Quebec) Retired nurses or nurses working in the private sector continue to raise their hands to join the public health network six weeks after the launch of the Legault government’s hiring plan. Quebec should also relax the conditions relating to the payment of premiums of $ 15,000 per nurse.
A total of 864 nurses have been hired in the health network since the start of the recruitment and retention operation on September 23. This is 117 more workers than last week.
At least 102 retired nurses have accepted a return to work (up 9 from last week) and 762 resources from the private sector in particular have joined the public network (up from 108). These data were announced Thursday during the weekly update of the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
More than 737 network workers have also accepted a full-time “upgrade”, for a total of 2,713 over the past six weeks. Health establishments are also negotiating with 3,721 potential candidates (up from 459).
Quebec is seeking to recruit at least 4,300 full-time nurses to lend a hand to the health network, weakened by the shortage of manpower and the exhaustion of the troops after 18 months of the pandemic. On Wednesday, the government abandoned compulsory vaccination for healthcare workers since it could not do without the 5,000 unvaccinated caregivers.
To attract and retain labor, the government has chosen to pay a bonus of $ 15,000 per nurse who agrees to work full time for a full year. But the Legault government’s plan has been severely criticized by the unions, who believe that the conditions linked to the allocation of these bonuses are too restrictive.
Towards flexibility
“We have had the chance, in recent weeks, to have several discussions not only with our employees, but [aussi] with our unions to support us in this process [d’embauche] Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, said Wednesday at the Salon Bleu.
” [On] is working very hard to finalize the adjustments in the program which was announced a few weeks ago, ”he added, thus opening the door to relaxations linked to the application of the ministerial decree. He made similar comments to the College of Physicians on Monday.
One of the issues in dispute is the issue of unpaid leave. The Ministry’s application guide, which essentially aims to popularize the conditions of the ministerial decree, indicates that “days without pay lose eligibility” for the bonus. This passage provoked the ire of the unions and forced the Ministry to issue a “rectification”.
On Wednesday, the Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec announced the creation at their request of an “urgent work table” with Quebec to improve working conditions and tackle the “many inequities in temporary bonuses” offered by the government .
The process brings together all the unions representing nursing and cardio-respiratory care personnel. The trade unions prefer not to comment on this new process of discussions for the moment.