MONTREAL -- The Quebec Union of Service Employees (SQEES-FTQ) is calling for the provincial government to increase the wages of caregivers of the Reseau de cooperation des entreprises d’economie sociale en aide a domicile (EESAD).
The demand comes after Premier Francois Legault announced a $24.28 per hour salary to draw new employees to work in long-term care facilities as attendants (CHSLDs). Workers already employed in private CHSLDs, whose salary is a little more than the minimum wage, will receive a premium of $4 per hour.
"The Premier seems to be proud to give what he considers a good salary to people who have no experience in the health field,” said Sylvie Nelson, president of the SQEES-FTQ, in a news release. “In doing so, these experienced personnel, who earn a salary close to the minimum wage, find themselves paid less than inexperienced personnel. We can understand that there is a certain amount of frustration on their part. ”
The SQEES-FTQ is the largest union in the sphere of private residences for seniors. It represents 25,000 members throughout Quebec.
