(Quebec) Premier François Legault is stepping up pressure on the Quebec Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ). He goes so far as to say that “the biggest problem we have to solve to improve the health network is to have flexibility in collective agreements with nurses”.
He made this exit Thursday, the day following the tabling of the bill by his minister Christian Dubé which aims to end the use of private personnel placement agencies by 2026.
To achieve this objective, it is necessary to break the locks that are in the collective agreements of nurses, according to the government. Negotiations for the renewal of employment contracts, which will expire on March 31, are decisive for retaining and attracting workers in the network, he insists.
“I have a message for the nurses’ unions: they have to come to the table to negotiate if we want to abolish private employment agencies”, launched François Legault before going to the Blue Room for the question period. .
“The government has no advantage in going through a private agency to get a nurse. We would much rather hire a nurse directly without going through a private agency. But currently, we cannot do it because we do not have the flexibility in the collective agreements, ”he pleaded.
Quebec is talking regarding adjustments to contracts to recognize the seniority of an agency nurse who agrees to return to the public network. “It will be part of the discussions,” contented himself with saying François Legault.
“But for now, the unions don’t want to come and negotiate,” he also said. Not only do they not accept flexibility in collective agreements, they do not agree to sit down at the bargaining table. »
In an interview on Tuesday, the president of the FIQ, Julie Bouchard, did not want to indicate whether or not the union is in favor of offering accommodations to agency workers who would like to return to the network. She explained the principle of fairness must prevail and that it will be up to the members to decide.
According to the FIQ, Minister Dubé “has given birth to a mouse” and Bill 10 will not prevent the agencies from “making rain or shine at the expense of healthcare professionals loyal to the public network”.
“The ongoing national negotiations and a bill with teeth let us believe that it was possible and that we might be able to turn things around. What an appointment missed by the minister, ”she said.
With Fanny Levesque
