2024-09-06 17:56:06
(Montreal) The Administrative Labour Tribunal will hold a hearing, as part of the FIQ’s request to its members to refuse to work overtime starting September 19.
Published at 1:56 p.m. Updated at 3:31 p.m.
Lia Levesque The Canadian Press
The case before the Court was opened following a request to this effect from the Council for the Protection of Patients, which said it was concerned about the possible repercussions on patients of this pressure tactic by members of the Interprofessional Health Federation.
The FIQ represents 80,000 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists.
In his request, of which The Canadian Press obtained a copy, the president of the Council, Paul Brunet, states that “if the FIQ obviously has the right to exercise the various legal means provided to make the employer listen to reason, these means must not be practiced illegally, at the expense of patients and even less by violating the constitutional right to life and care enjoyed by users of the health network, in Quebec and in Canada.”
At the same time, the Council for the Protection of the Sick expressed its solidarity with the nurses.
“As a representative of users of the health network for 50 years, and although we support nurses in their demands, we have no other alternative than to request the intervention of the TAT, under the law and the Labour Code, in the face of the word of incitement launched by the FIQ,” adds Mr. Brunet in his letter.
There will first be a conciliation session between the parties on September 11 in Quebec, then a hearing before the Administrative Labor Tribunal, if necessary.
It was as part of its long negotiations for the renewal of its collective agreement with Quebec that the FIQ announced, at the end of August, that it would ask its members to refuse to work overtime starting September 19.
Since then, conciliation has resumed between the Treasury Board and the FIQ, raising hope on both sides.
Invited to comment, the FIQ confirmed its presence at the hearing next Wednesday. “We will see how the session goes. We do not want to go there. What we want is an agreement.”
The union assures that “patients will not be abandoned” if it actually comes to exerting this means of pressure.
“The network is able to organize itself and has had more than two weeks to do so. We have already done such an exercise during the weekends without TSO [temps supplémentaire obligatoire]. »
The FIQ remains hopeful and maintains the pressure. “Until then, we are maintaining the course of our pressure tactics while giving negotiations a chance,” she concludes.
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Table of Contents
Quebec Nurses Union Plans Overtime Refusal Amidst Pressure from Council for Protection of Patients
In a recent development, the Administrative Labour Tribunal has scheduled a hearing to address the Interprofessional Health Federation’s (FIQ) plan to ask its members to refuse to work overtime starting September 19. This decision comes after the Council for the Protection of Patients expressed concerns about the potential repercussions on patients of this pressure tactic by FIQ members.
The FIQ, which represents 80,000 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, and clinical perfusionists, has been engaged in long negotiations for the renewal of its collective agreement with Quebec. As part of these negotiations, the FIQ announced at the end of August that it would ask its members to refuse to work overtime starting September 19. [[1]]
However, the Council for the Protection of Patients has expressed concern that this pressure tactic could potentially harm patients. In a letter to the Tribunal, the Council’s president, Paul Brunet, stated that while the FIQ has the right to exercise legal means to make the employer listen to reason, these means must not be practiced illegally, at the expense of patients and their constitutional right to life and care. [[1]]
Despite the Council’s concerns, the FIQ has assured that “patients will not be abandoned” if the overtime refusal comes into effect. The union has also expressed its willingness to reach an agreement, stating that ”what we want is an agreement.” [[1]]
This is not the first time the FIQ has employed similar tactics. In 2021, nurses across Quebec engaged in a mass refusal of overtime, citing unsafe working conditions. [[2]]In 2019, the FIQ conducted two overtime strikes, on April 18 and November 15-16, respectively. [[3]]
The upcoming conciliation session on September 11 will aim to resolve the issue between the parties. If necessary, the matter will proceed to a hearing before the Administrative Labor Tribunal.
This ongoing dispute highlights the ongoing struggles between healthcare workers and their employers, as well as the concerns of patients and advocacy groups. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the FIQ and the Quebec government can reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
References:
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Quebec Nurses’ Union to Refuse Overtime Work Amid Dispute with Government
In a recent development, the Administrative Labour Tribunal is set to hold a hearing regarding the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ)’s request to its members to refuse to work overtime starting September 19. This move comes amid the ongoing dispute between the FIQ and the Quebec government over the renewal of their collective agreement.
The FIQ, which represents approximately 80,000 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, and clinical perfusionists, has been engaged in long negotiations with the government over the renewal of their collective agreement. As part of their pressure tactics, the FIQ announced in late August that its members would refuse to work overtime starting September 19.
However, the Council for the Protection of Patients has expressed concerns about the potential impact of this move on patients and has requested the intervention of the Administrative Labour Tribunal. The Council’s president, Paul Brunet, argued that while the FIQ has the right to exercise its legal means to make the employer listen to reason, these means must not be practiced illegally and at the expense of patients.
The FIQ’s decision to refuse overtime work is part of a larger wave of protests and strikes by public sector workers in Quebec. In November 2023, tens of thousands of health-care professionals, including nurses, went on strike, joining hundreds of thousands of public sector workers already on strike [[1]]. The FIQ led a four-day strike in December 2023, with 80,000 members participating [[2]]. Quebec’s nurses also launched a two-day walkout in November 2023 [[3]].
The dispute between the FIQ and the government has been ongoing for months, with the union demanding better working conditions, improved patient care, and fair compensation for its members. The government, on the other hand, has been trying to balance the budget and control spending on public services.
The conciliation session between the parties is scheduled for September 11 in Quebec, which will be followed by a hearing before the Administrative Labor Tribunal if necessary. The Council for the Protection of the Sick has expressed its solidarity with the nurses, but has also urged the FIQ to consider the potential impact of their actions on patients.
The ongoing dispute between the FIQ and the government has sparked
