December 7, 2018

It comes as no surprise that the FIQ-Syndicat des professionnelles en soins du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean took note of the CIUSSS du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean’s 2017-2018 annual management report tabled yesterday at the National Assembly of Québec. “It’s a very clear indication of our members’ difficulties,” began union president Julie Bouchard. “Management must, without further delay, upgrade the 300 healthcare professional positions, as agreed during recent local negotiations. It’s clear that increasing the number of full-time positions will significantly cut back on overtime. Cumbersome administrative procedures are no longer a valid pretext. Our members’ exhaustion is reaching its limit,” she added.

A few key findings from the 2017-2018 annual management report:

• Healthcare professionals did 20,195 work shifts of overtime, which came to a total of 151,462 hours (up by 23% from 2015-2016 and by 18.8% since the creation of the CIUSSS in April 2015)
• 327,812 overtime hours worked in the CIUSSS, across all job categories
• The salary insurance hour ratio is at 8.7%, whereas the target percentage is 6.75% (it is even bordering 15% at some activity centres)

“These figures speak for themselves and we are all the more worried as the holiday season approaches. This is the perfect time for new CEO Julie Labbé to make a new start and move things in a better direction,” concluded Ms. Bouchard.