Employees of youth centers across Quebec are stamping their feet: many of them have still not received the salary bonuses due last April, which they were nevertheless promised when the most recent collective agreement was signed. The government, for its part, ensures that it proceeds “as soon as possible”.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
“Our bosses throw the ball to each other indefinitely. The Ministry [de la Santé et des Services sociaux] tells us that the CISSS and CIUSSS have the codes to pay the premiums manually, but they say that they are waiting for an update of the government system to do it, because manually, it would be too complex”, denounces the national representative of the Alliance of professional and technical health and social services personnel (APTS) for the Laval region, Natacha Pelchat.
The collective agreement of hundreds of workers in youth centers provided that on 1er last April, bonuses of 4% and 7% were to be paid to employees, depending on their status.
To date, however, seven regions have never seen the color of this money: south and west of Montreal, Laval, Lanaudière, Estrie, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Abitibi-Témiscamingue. According to our information, nearly 5,000 people could be affected by these delays.
“It affects all our members who work at the DPJ, but also the youth centers, the educators. They do not feel respected, not recognized. And when we know that there is already a shortage of personnel, this bonus is an important measure of attraction. We can’t wait any longer,” criticizes Julie Houle, from the APTS at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.
“Our world is disillusioned”
For the two union representatives, it is a matter of respect. “It should be a priority, these bonuses. We are constantly told that we want to be an employer of choice, when they demonstrate it. Our world is disillusioned: they are tanned, they are burned, they are tired. We ask them for extra time, but we do not recognize them at their fair value, ”insists Mme Swell.
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, THE PRESS
Natacha Pelchat, APTS national representative for the Laval region
We are talking about more than $3,000 not reimbursed, in some cases. These are considerable amounts, especially at a time when inflation is high and the cost of living is rising rapidly.
Natacha Pelchat, APTS national representative for the Laval region
If nothing is done by the start of the school year, legal proceedings may have to be taken before the Administrative Labor Tribunal (TAT), also warns his colleague from the executive of the Center-South. “These are things that we are considering everywhere, and there are already things that have been done for other bonuses that are slow to come in. We will continue to fight, that’s for sure. It is unacceptable to treat people who work with our young people, who already do not have easy conditions, in this way, ”she sighs.
“These bonuses are in an employment contract that has been signed. It’s not a promise that can’t be kept,” Ms.me Pelchat.
Quebec swears to be in action
Called to react, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) – responsible for paying these premiums – indicated to The Press that “the work in connection with the payment of the sums due under the new measures introduced in the collective agreements is continuing in order to finalize everything as soon as possible”.
“The compensation teams, like the payroll system providers, have worked hard since the winter to ensure the payment of amounts due to network employees,” said Ministry spokesperson Marjorie Larouche.
The bonuses granted under the state of health emergency and the application of new collective agreements have resulted in a heavy workload for the teams.
Marjorie Larouche, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Social Services
Mme Larouche also reports that the Department “has respected its commitment to pay the amounts under pay equity as of June 16th”.
In total, for all of Quebec, the DYPs processed 132,632 reports during the year 2021-2022, compared to 117,904 last year, an increase of 12.5%. This is an average of 363 child situations reported per day in Quebec.
In the metropolis, the DPJ of Montreal (services for French-speaking children) received 12,967 reports, an increase of 8.22% compared to last year. Batshaw (services for English-speaking children in the metropolis) received 4,645 reports, an increase of 16.39%. In Montérégie, the number of reports processed has also increased. We are talking about an increase of 3,000 reports compared to the 2020-2021 fiscal year, for a total of 20,837 this year. We also note a drop in the reports retained (415 less than last year).