At the end of an expected meeting between the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ) and the Government of Quebec, one thing seems clear: the pace of negotiations will accelerate over the next few weeks.
“We had this commitment, that the work was going to meet the expectations of healthcare professionals with regard to their working conditions”, declared the president of the FIQ, Julie Bouchard, at the end of her meeting with the first Minister François Legault and Sonia LeBel, President of the Treasury Board. She confirmed that the work aimed at renewing the collective agreement for FIQ members would accelerate “significantly” in the coming weeks.
Mme LeBel also seemed satisfied with this meeting, which she described in a press briefing as “very cordial”. “What I remember from today’s meeting is their desire, at the FIQ and the government, to speed up the process [de négociation] “, she launched. She was also happy to have felt “a certain openness” from the FIQ.
The meeting took place as negotiations between public sector unions and the government have been in full swing for months without reaching a conclusion. In the absence of an agreement for the renewal of the collective agreements, the unions do not exclude the possibility of a strike.
Minister LeBel did not want to come forward on the possibility of a strike by the 80,000 members of the FIQ, who are nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists. “It belongs to them, the means of pressure,” she said.
Julie Bouchard does not exclude this possibility. “All means of pressure are really considered,” she confirmed in a firm voice. If we have to go to the ultimate pressure tactic, well, we will. »
Earlier in the summer, the Administrative Labor Tribunal rendered decisions regarding the essential services to be maintained in the event of a strike by the FIQ. Emergency and intensive care services should be fully maintained.
Sonia LeBel, however, reported progress in the dialogue during the meeting. “We were able to agree with the FIQ that the very short-term solutions that require the addition of personnel are not solutions that are, unfortunately, viable. »
Some reviews
Although visibly satisfied with their meeting, Ms.my LeBel and Bouchard also mentioned more difficult points between the union and the government.
Asked about the issues that cause blockages in the negotiations, Ms.me Bouchard said: “It’s not a question of what’s blocking it, it’s a question that there’s nothing moving forward! She says she is ready to sit down at the negotiating table “two, three, four days a week” if necessary.
Sonia LeBel for her part mentioned that she hoped to maintain a “slightly more positive” approach with the FIQ to “encourage people” to come and work in health. “We agreed that it is important for our nurses, for people in the healthcare network, to give them a perspective of improving working conditions, their workload, better work-family balance, even if it is not immediate […]. »
In the context of the negotiations, the FIQ is not part of the Front commun intersyndical. The latter brings together more than 400,000 members and includes, in particular, the Confederation of National Trade Unions and the Federation of Quebec Workers.
