2023-07-10 20:21:01
The Héma-Québec nursing staff reluctantly accepts the agreement in principle reached between their union and the management of Héma-Québec du Grand Montréal.
Posted July 10
Pierre Saint-Arnaud The Canadian Press
The approximately 128 nurses, licensed practical nurses, counselors and technicians who are members of the union affiliated with the CSQ’s Health Federation have ratified, in a proportion of 72%, the agreement in principle.
In a press release published by their union, the latter underlines that “it is however reluctantly that the very many members present at the general meeting of July 9, 2023 accepted this new employment contract”.
Their collective agreement had expired since March 31, 2019, more than four years ago. Between July 2022 and the end of last March, the union members had held six days of sporadic strikes.
Despite their dissatisfaction on several points in dispute, the nurses and nursing assistants obtained from Héma-Québec that it agree to close the wage gap between them and their colleagues in the public sector, which was at the heart of their demands.
On the other hand, they are disappointed that the salary retroactivity due to them has been postponed to mid-December. They also resent the fact that certain premiums have not been indexed in today’s dollars. The loss of a trailer clause and the introduction of the concept of salary relativity in their collective agreement are also a source of disappointment.
The president of their union, Nancy Landry, explains in the press release that having “the same salary in our pockets as that offered in the public network was essential to offer attractive and respectful conditions to the staff”. She adds that several other issues will be discussed once more during the next negotiations.
The union specifies that “until the collective agreement is signed, the nurses, nursing assistants, advisers and technicians will not resume wearing the uniform and will be dressed in everyday clothes”.
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