Health Minister Christian Dubé has tabled his bill to regulate the use of independent labour in the public network. The unions say that though there are good intentions, there is no precise game plan to achieve the desired objective.
At the Quebec federation of health unions (FIQ), they say they are "extremely disappointed with the little content" of the bill. The FIQ has been fighting against the "scourge" of private agencies for 15 years and regrets that the bill does not send the clear message it had hoped for. FIQ president Julie Bouchard spoke of a missed opportunity and not really knowing what the Minister intends to do until he unveils the content of his regulations.
Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) president Caroline Senneville said the bill has the merit of "putting the real problem of employment agencies in the public eye."
However, she is critical of the lack of detail since the minister reserves the power to determine many elements through regulations.
"We feel the intention, but we don't see the precise game plan to get there," she said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
And in her opinion, it will take much more than good intentions.
Her colleague from the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS-CSN), Réjean Leclerc, does not appreciate Quebec's propensity to negotiate in the public square.
"The minister criticizes the unions for not participating in the Treasury Board's consultative forums, yet they already contribute to a health consultation table, in addition to debating their demands at the collective agreement negotiation tables as provided for by law," he said.
The position is shared by Fédération de la Santé du Québec affiliated to the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (FSQ-CSQ) vice-president Déreck Cyr. He is particularly concerned about the minister's desire to be able to move care personnel from one unit to another or from one institution to another when the collective agreements already provide a framework for this.
In a news release sent just after the minister's press conference, the FSQ-CSQ nonetheless welcomed the government's approach to limiting the use of independent labour since it is necessary to put an end to the "aberration" of a public employer using two classes of employees in the same care network.
CSQ Secretary-Treasurer Luc Beauregard called the practice of private agencies an "open bar," arguing that Quebec has spent $3 billion in six years on the services of this outside workforce.
"These substantial amounts would have been better invested in improving the working conditions of exhausted and overworked staff throughout the network," reads a quote attributed to Beauregard.
In addition, the major unions were scheduled to meet later Wednesday to discuss the possibility of a joint public walkout in response to Dubé's bill.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 15, 2023.
