(Quebec) The Minister of Health Christian Dubé denounces the “unacceptable” practices of certain employment agencies, which “pocket disproportionate profits” by charging up to 30% more for nursing staff, despite the ministerial decrees in force. This situation also “disgusts” Québec solidaire, which is asking the government to sanction these “raptors”.
Updated yesterday at 4:20 p.m.
“It is unacceptable for entrepreneurs to take advantage of the current situation to pocket excessive profits by not respecting the rules. The order is clear: it is prohibited for employment agencies to provide care whose value exceeds $75 for a nurse, including for private accommodation settings,” indicated Minister Dubé in a statement.
The Press reported on Tuesday that placement agencies charge prices much higher than the maximum rates established by ministerial decrees for the loan of caregivers in private accommodation for seniors. About twenty invoices collected by The Press demonstrated that companies were charging up to 30% higher rates for a nurse, for example.
Agencies sometimes charge up to $100 per hour for the services of a “regular rate” nurse. This is at least $25 more than what is provided for in the ministerial decree which sets the limit at $74.36 per hour for the use of clinical nurses. The same practices can be observed for the use of nursing assistants and orderlies.
“Know that checks are underway with some private seniors’ residences to understand the extent of the problem at the Ministry of Health,” he added. Quebec ensures “multiply” actions to attract and retain nurses in the public network. “Our vision is clear: it is – and will be – always more advantageous to come and work in the public health network,” concluded Mr. Dubé.
“Disgusting” practices, according to QS
“It does not surprise me, unfortunately, because when there is money to be made, there are always profiteers, free riders and in this case, I would even say raptors who know very well that the government is in trouble and that there are private or public homes for the elderly who are at the end of their rope, ”lamented the spokesperson for health of Quebec solidaire, Vincent Marissal.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Québec solidaire health spokesperson, Vincent Marissal.
“We are telling nurses who are on maternity leave to come back and lend a hand [au public], we force nursing staff to work overtime systematically, we penalize them when [il] refuses and during this time, there are small caïds of private agencies who make the law and who line their pockets. I find that… honestly, it gross me out,” he added.
According to Québec solidaire, the Legault government must “put its foot down” and sanction companies that violate or circumvent the rules in place. “The role of government is to protect the world and enforce its own laws, its own decrees. Otherwise, the government turns into a clown with no kind of power. It can’t work,” laments Mr. Marissal.
“If there are mistakes made on the decrees, it is illegal, there must be sanctions,” adds the deputy for Rosemont. If these agencies refuse to comply, Quebec should requisition their staff, he says. What Québec solidaire has already proposed since the start of the pandemic to respond to the labor shortage. The formation also proposed a three-year plan to “wean oneself off agencies”.
The Parti Québécois calls for the abolition of private employment agencies “to tackle the basic problems in the health network” such as compulsory overtime.
“As long as we do not tackle the work overload in the public network, placement agencies will continue to gobble up health personnel looking for a better work-family balance while charging disproportionate sums private accommodations that contract with them. The government must quickly stem this kind of abusive practice, it is already too late, ”lamented the parliamentary leader, Joël Arseneau.
“These ways of doing things that do not respect the decrees are unacceptable and the government must act accordingly,” argued Liberal leader Dominique Anglade.
Last October, the Legault government launched a series of measures to better regulate the use of private employment agencies. Independent labor should only be used as a “last resort”, it was stated. A framework welcomed by the association of private companies of nursing staff in Quebec (EPPSQ), which deplored the “anarchy” installed since the start of the pandemic.
On Monday, the EPPSQ deplored that the practices described by The Press in the report are “totally illegal”.