The three major labor centers in Quebec are asking the Government of Quebec and Public Health to grant a 10-day bank of COVID-19 sick leave to all workers who cannot telework if they are sick. due to the nature of the job held.
The Quebec Federation of Labor (FTQ), the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN) and the Centrale des Syndicats du Québec (CSQ) write in a joint press release released Thursday that they note an insufficient number of sick leave for workers large networks such as health, education and early childhood, but also in several other sectors.
The centrals fear that this will become an obstacle to compliance with the instructions for many whose situation is not already provided for in their employment contract, in particular by not having the possibility of carrying out their work remotely.
Unions want to prevent workplaces from becoming places for the spread of the coronavirus because people had no choice but to go to work, even if they were sick.
They say they have heard the recent calls for caution from the Minister of Health and Social Services and Public Health to prevent the transmission of the various respiratory viruses currently in circulation. They add that to do the right things and stay home when necessary, you have to have the conditions to do so.
The FTQ, the CSN and the CSQ point out that the active circulation of the virus and the episodes of isolation have the effect of seriously amputating the banks of sick leave. Unions have reported members telling them they were forced to report to work despite testing positive for COVID-19 so as not to be penalized.
The three centrals point out that the Government of Canada has already granted 10 days of sick leave to all its workers by amending the Canada Labor Code to prevent them from having to choose between going to work sick and risking contaminating their environment or lose salary. The measure will be effective on 1er next December.
The FTQ, the CSN, the CSQ claim to represent more than 1.14 million workers in Quebec, in the public and private sectors.
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