Well, here we go again! The Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ) has finally thrown its figurative hands in the air and decided to support the conciliator’s proposal after what seemed like a negotiation episode more prolonged than your grandmother’s Thanksgiving dinner. We’re talking months of back and forth, and if you had told me this saga would end with a conciliator’s proposal, I would have gone to the pub to drown my sorrows in advance!
What’s that? You thought I was kidding? The recommendation was tipped over the edge by about 66.3% of the FIQ members – which is basically the healthcare equivalent of “majority rules”, right? It’s like a group of nurses playing a twisted game of Rock, Paper, Scissors where “Rock” is better working conditions, “Paper” is a pay raise, and “Scissors” is “Oh, forget it, let’s just take what we can get!” And let’s face it, the vast majority of nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists, and perfusionists in Quebec are a force to be reckoned with – they make sure that we’re all breathing, at the very least!
So, what does this all mean? Well, according to the FIQ’s flashy social media announcement (you know, the type that makes you question whether you’re really paying attention to the news or just scrolling through Instagram), this proposal transforms into a shiny new employment contract for the healthcare professionals. If this feels like a sequel to a movie that went on far too long, you’re not alone. The negotiations dragged on longer than a school play with an overzealous director, and we’re finally at the “the end” – or at least we hope so!
Negotiation Drama: The Long Game
Now, let’s talk participation! A whopping 75% of the FIQ’s 80,000 members joined the voting party, with around 59,000 votes cast in two days. Surely we can all agree that those numbers are impressive! It’s like trying to herd cats, and somehow all the cats showed up with their voting cards. But I digress. This new employment contract was long overdue; over a year and a half late to be exact. If you ever wanted proof that healthcare professionals are busy people, just look at their patience in waiting for the expiry of their collective agreement.
Now, what about those negotiators? Ah, the conciliator did arrive fashionably late – about 500 days late, in fact! Just imagine telling your boss you’ll deliver a project after 500 days of “negotiation” and eating snacks. It’s like saying, “Sorry, I was working on my creative strategy” while actually watching reruns of *Friends*.
Julie Bouchard, the FIQ president, shared a bittersweet comment: “Our members accepted this recommendation, even if it didn’t fulfill all their worries.” Kind of like opening a gift and realizing you got socks instead of the new iPhone! But let’s not forget, the sticky bits of negotiation were all about staff mobility and flexibility. So basically, they just want to move around a bit like they’re participating in a healthcare conga line rather than being stuck in a corner with only one option.
The Quebec Treasury Board’s president, Sonia LeBel, danced a different tune. She announced a newfound flexibility thanks to the agreement, promising the people of Quebec that professionals would be around when needed. Really? Because I feel like I need one of those pros every time I stub my toe…or when life just gets too complicated!
In short, while this contract might set a new course in the healthcare system, the fight is not over. Ms. Bouchard believes “many issues remain,” and that’s likely putting it mildly. A profound change in values seems necessary to attract more healthcare superheroes. You know, the kind who don’t wear tights but are just as essential! In the end, it was victory by sheer numbers this time! Could we finally have a happy ending? Or is this just the next episode in the saga of Quebec’s healthcare negotiations? Stay tuned!
With a nod to The Canadian Press
The Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ) supported the conciliator’s proposal on Thursday evening, after months of negotiations with Quebec.
Updated yesterday at 10:25 p.m.
The recommendation was supported by 66.3% by the members of the FIQ, which represents the vast majority of nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists and perfusionists in the province. The union made the announcement on his social networks shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday.
« [La proposition] becomes the new employment contract for healthcare professionals and marks the conclusion of the negotiation with the government of Quebec concerning their working conditions for the period 2023 to 2028,” wrote the FIQ in a press release, published at the same time.
Of the 80,000 members, 59,000 voted during the two days of voting, which equates to a participation rate of 75%. The union assured that it would ensure that this new employment contract was deployed as quickly as possible, since the collective agreement expired a year and a half ago, i.e. since March 31, 2023.
The conciliator of the negotiations, present since mid-December, tabled the proposal on September 15. About a month earlier, negotiations had passed the 500-day mark, and found themselves at an “impasse,” according to the FIQ.
Negotiations that last
“Our members have decided to accept this recommendation, although it does not respond to all their concerns,” commented the president of the FIQ, Julie Bouchard, in the union press release. “The struggle of healthcare professionals has not only exposed the government’s intransigence, but also demonstrated that it is on the wrong track by demanding ever more from those who support the network at arm’s length. »
The main sticking points were mainly linked to staff mobility. The FIQ also asked for more flexibility from the employer.
For her part, the president of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, welcomed in a press release Thursday evening the obtaining of “increased flexibility in the agreement, greater availability of professionals” to provide “adequate » Quebecers when they need it.
She also underlined that the agreement reached makes it possible to “achieve the mobility objectives agreed with other unions, while reassuring nurses with guidelines” reflecting the reality of their work.
Nevertheless, the FIQ assures that it will continue to fight for better working conditions and safe care. “Many issues persist, even after the adoption of an employment contract. We consider that a profound change in values will be necessary to restore the network and once again attract healthcare professionals,” said Ms. Bouchard.
The result was awaited with excitement, after the rejection of an agreement in principle by the members in a proportion of 61%, last April.
With The Canadian Press