April 16, 2020

The 76,000 healthcare professionals represented by the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ are angry and find it unacceptable that medical specialists obtained a generous agreement while they were granted minimal premiums for the same work, which they have been doing ever since day one of the pandemic. The FIQ demands that the government take immediate action to correct this situation.

Despite the FIQ’s desire to negotiate, the government chose to decree premiums for healthcare professionals in a ministerial order. The premiums are ridiculously low and in no way compensate for how much their lives have been shaken up nor the risks they are exposed to.

“We see that for the current government, there is a double standard in the network based on your position in it. By announcing the agreement with the specialists, the premier clearly showed a lack of recognition for healthcare professionals. From one day to the next, their working conditions were turned upside down and they had to adapt very quickly. They feel a sense of injustice and anger. This announcement is very discouraging for healthcare professionals at a time when they are required to give 100%,” said Nancy Bédard, FIQ President.

The government agreed to pay doctors $2,500 per day while it unilaterally decreed by way of a ministerial order to give healthcare professionals premiums equal to 4% and 8% of their salary. “By doing this, the current government is further widening the huge gap between the working conditions of doctors and healthcare professionals and the rest of workers in the network,” added Nancy Bédard.

In the FIQ’s view, despite the announcement that 2,000 doctors will help out in CHSLDs, it is crucial that the government immediately increase the healthcare professionals’ premiums to reflect their efforts and commitment throughout this crisis.