After 17 months, there is no end in sight to negotations between Quebec’s largest nurses union and the provincial government. Its 80,000 members have rejected the tentative deal reached by both sides on March 19.
After union representatives decided to present the agreement to their members, the latter were asked to vote. 61 per cent of participants voted against the deal, in a historic turnout of 77 percent.
Among the things that were offered: a 17.4% salary increase; bonuses for critical periods, such as the holidays and during the summer; the prioritization of healthcare professionals from the public sector over outsourced labour; and mandatory overtime to be used only in emergency situations.
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Union president Julie Bouchard says she is “disappointed” that the offer they presented to their members is inadequate. They are going to meet with them to understand what went wrong.
“As of Monday, we are ready to get back out there and represent our members to the best of our abilities,” says Kristina Hoare, from the West Island nurses union. “The motivation and the mobilization only goes to prove that what we were offered was unacceptable, it is not a step in the right direction, the government has to go back and give us more interesting offers.”
On social media, a demand stands out: not being moved around different departments. But this mobility, or flexibility, is a sticking point for Treasury Board Secretary Sonia Lebel, according to a statement she made on X early on Saturday.
Health Minister Christian Dubé also commented on X that necessary changes must be made “to improve the health network and become an employer of choice.”
At the moment, pressure tactics and another round of strikes are not on the agenda, but remain a possibility.
Union representatives say that the number of members who cast their vote motivates them to go back to the negotiating table.
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