The FIQ files its demands with the Treasury Board
The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ filed its union demands with the Treasury Board this morning. The collective agreement for its 76,000 members will expire on March 31, 2023.
Filing of FIQ Demands 2022-2023
The FIQ consulted all the nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists that it represents. The FIQ and FIQP members have put remuneration, personal life-work balance and workload as the three priority issues.
“Supported by a large participation, our demands will value the healthcare professionals’ work and expertise. They propose recognizing their essential professions and guaranteeing them a quality of life at work and outside it. United and mobilized behind these demands, we are determined to defend them at the bargaining table”, guaranteed Julie Bouchard, President of the FIQ.
Remuneration
To be an employer of choice, as Christian Dubé aspires to be, the FIQ believes that the Treasury Board must offer competitive salaries, and which take into account the high inflation in recent months. The FIQ demands, among other things:
- A salary upgrade to compensate for the inflation of recent months;
- A protection of purchasing power by an annual salary adjustment mechanism;
- A salary increase of 4% on April 1, 2023, on April 1, 2024 and on April 1, 2025;
- Improvements in salaries to compensate for the work on weekends, statutory holidays and on overtime.
Personal life-work balance
A clear majority of healthcare professionals work in centres of activities providing 24/7 services. Moreover, 90% are women, many of whom have family responsibilities. The FIQ demands, among other things:
- Posting of schedules at least two weeks in advance and covering a minimum of three months;
- Option of adjusting a full-time position, for example four days a week;
- Accelerated accumulation of additional vacation days;
- Granting 10 paid days of leave for victims of domestic violence;
- An additional stat holiday for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (September 30).
Workload
Healthcare professionals have had a work overload for too many years, a situation that worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. The FIQ demands, among other things:
- A commitment to pass a law on safe healthcare professional-to-patient ratios;
- Eliminating the use of private agency personnel;
- Implementing measures to promote healthcare professionals returning to the public network;
- Eliminating the use of mandatory overtime.
“The FIQ’s demands promote the attraction and retention of healthcare professionals. The ball is now in the government’s court who will table their offers in the coming weeks. We will then be able to judge their real will to improve the situation in the health network, as much for the healthcare for the population as for those who provide it.”, concluded Julie Bouchard.