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Members of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) union, which represents the vast majority of the province’s nurses, auxiliary nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists, has voted 66.3 per cent in favour of a new collective agreement.
The union announced the results of the three-day vote on Thursday evening, saying 75 per cent of 80,000 members voted on the deal, which was presented as a recommendation of a conciliator. The deal covers 2023 to 2028. The Quebec government has also accepted the recommendation.
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“Our members have decided to accept this recommendation, even though it does not address all of their concerns,” FIQ President Julie Bouchard said in a statement. “The FIQ will continue its fight for better working conditions and safe care, while remaining determined to defend the stability of teams, which is essential to the quality of care.”
Details of the deal were not immediately announced. The major sticking point for the FIQ had been the government’s desire for more flexibility in moving nursing staff from one unit to another or even one health centre to another depending on staffing requirements.
After a previous deal in principle was rejected in April over concerns about clauses affecting nurse mobility, the mobility requirements were more clearly defined in the conciliation process.
In a statement, Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel said Quebecers will get more flexibility and availability of health care professionals, including nights, weekends and holidays, and “allows us to achieve mobility objectives reached with other unions” with safeguards that “reflect the reality of health care workers.”
The FIQ is the last of the major health and education public service unions to ratify a new contract.
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