A little breath of fresh air for healthcare professionals at last!
While healthcare professionals’ anger and frustration is culminating around Quebec, the Syndicat des professionnelles en soins du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean managed to reach an agreement with the CIUSSS in the region on a measure aimed at curbing mandatory overtime. This way, on a voluntary basis, all nurses and licensed practical nurses from Roberval, Jonquière, Dolbeau-Mistassini, La Baie, Alma and Chicoutimi will be assigned a full-time schedule or one that matches their availability.
“Our members are very pleased with this agreement. It received over 98% approval. A little breath of fresh air for healthcare professionals at last!” said Julie Bouchard, President of the Syndicat des professionnelles en soins du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
The agreement, deemed a grand victory by union members, will continue until October. “It will have a significant impact on the CIUSSS’s nurses and licensed practical nurses. Simply knowing their work schedule in advance will make a huge difference in balancing their work and personal lives. Mandatory overtime will decrease and, since care teams will be more stable, the workload should also be more manageable,” explained Ms. Bouchard.
“Everyone will benefit from this agreement. Our members, of course, but also the patients who will receive the safe, humane, quality care that they deserve,” concluded Ms. Bouchard.