FIQ nurses union at an impasse after 500 days, plans to step up pressure tactics

One of the demonstrations of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ), held on September 6, 2023 in Montreal. (The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi)

Even as the summer vacation period begins to wind down, the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) is still at an impasse in its negotiations with Québec and plans to step up its pressure tactics shortly.

The provincial Treasury Board, for its part, maintains that there is no impasse, even though the FIQ has still not succeeded in renewing its collective agreements after 500 days.

At a meeting with the press in Montreal on Monday, FIQ President Julie Bouchard reiterated that negotiations were at an impasse and were making no progress, having stalled over the issue of nurses' expected mobility.

Healthcare network managers want to be able to move nurses across different care units or establishments as needed. However, nurses see this as a refusal to recognise their expertise and as a way of regarding them as interchangeable pawns.

Faced with what it considers a stalemate, the FIQ will soon discuss with its delegates how to step up its pressure tactics. It already has a strike mandate, which is still in force. Its members have already walked out for several days in November and December 2023.

"Will this be the first thing we do? No. We have other pressure tactics planned," she said without elaborating. However, the FIQ says it is prepared to go that far if necessary.

The provincial Treasury Board, for its part, reiterated that "the status quo is not an option for providing the health care to which the public is entitled". The board noted that it had already reached agreements with the other unions.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 12, 2024.