Public sector negotiations: “We cannot rush to reach this agreement in principle,” declares FIQ

The conciliation reached in the past few days by the Inter-Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ) “allowed us to move forward.” On the other hand, the Union is still far from reaching an initial agreement with the government.

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He added: “We do not yet have a preliminary agreement to announce. “We continue to negotiate very seriously to reach an agreement that is satisfactory, both for the members we represent and for the population,” commented FIQ President, Julie Bouchard, in an interview in Quebec morning.

Ms. Bouchard explains that they will not announce an agreement in principle with the government, as long as some “fundamental issues for members are not resolved.”

We cannot rush this agreement in principle. It must serve as a lever for the future of the public health network, and to attract and retain healthcare professionals in the public network. We take the time necessary to reach an agreement that is interesting, both for us and for the residents.

Points discussed at the table

The basic points are still being discussed at the negotiating table with the government.

The flexibility requested by the government through “forced transfer from one institution to another of care staff” without the necessary training, would not be “an interesting business case” and “would pose a risk to the population”.

The issue of mandatory overtime and professional patient ratios is “of great importance”. “These conditions of care are really important for the population,” Ms. Bouchard points out.

The sequence of strikes has not been planned yet.

***See the full interview with Julie Bouchard above***