Fed up with what they call a chronic problem, a group of nurses at a South Shore hospital staged a sit-in Sunday as a form of protest against forced overtime shifts.
Five nurses at Pierre Boucher Hospital in Longueuil refused to begin their evening shift, as they waited for a promise that they would not be called upon to work extra hours.
The nurses say the hospital is understaffed, putting both healthcare workers and patients in jeopardy.
Gina Stooke, a union representative for the Alliance Interprofessionnelle de Montreal, said the working conditions for nurses are unacceptable.
"They're tired, they're exhausted," said Stooke.
"We're thinking of the quality of care that we offer to our patients (…) The healthcare system is sick."
Stooke said the union is calling on the government to take action, because it nurses are overwhelmed by the all the extra hours and do not get enough compensation.
Michele Boisclair of the FIQ nurses union said the shifts are gruelling.
"We heard last weekend that nurses were in at 7:30 in the morning and end up at 11 o'clock at night. Do you think it's normal? No. do you think it's normal to have a schedule written, "Mandatory overtime," evenings and night shifts?" she said.
Similar protest
Nurses at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital staged a similar protest late last month, saying the strain of their working conditions is too much to bear.
The nurses say they are expected to work overtime on a regular basis, with some complaining of mandatory 18-hour days.
