Nurses represented by the FIQ have rejected the agreement in principle reached between their union and the Quebec government to renew their collective agreements.
The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ) organized a three-day referendum vote, which ended at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, after holding several general meetings of its members to inform them of the content of the agreement in principle.
The agreement was rejected by 61 per cent of union members who voted, and the turnout was high, with 77 per cent of members voting, according to the largest nurses’ union in Quebec on its Facebook page.
The FIQ represents more than 80,000 members, the vast majority of nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists in Quebec.
It recommended that its members vote in favour of this agreement in principle, which was reached after 15 months of negotiations and days of strike action.
A number of union members voiced criticism on social media, particularly on the issue of nurse travel and compulsory overtime.
FIQ president Julie Bouchard called a press conference on Saturday at 11 a.m. to comment on her members’ decision.
Treasury Board president Sonia LeBel also reacted on social network X, saying that she took “note of the rejection of the agreement in principle by the members of the FIQ.”
“We will meet with the union to understand what is stumbling. However, the context and our objectives will remain the same, particularly in terms of flexibility,” LeBel said in her post.
Health Minister Christian Dubé also turned to X for his reaction.
“Discussions will continue. The fact remains that we must make the necessary changes to improve our health-care network and become an employer of choice,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 13, 2024.