Quebec nurses reject the agreement in principle with the government
![FIQ members protesting Union members of the Federation interprofessionnelle de la sante du Quebec (FIQ) march to the National Assembly to demonstrate, in Quebec City, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/13/fiq-members-protesting-1-6845764-1713014548934.jpg)
Members of a union representing more than 80,000 health-care workers in Quebec have decisively rejected a tentative collective agreement with the province that was endorsed by the labour group's leadership.
The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec, commonly known as the FIQ, said Saturday that 61 per cent of members who took part in an online election voted against the deal. The poll, which ended at midnight Friday, had a participation rate of 77 per cent.
FIQ president Julie Bouchard said at a news conference in Montreal that she was disappointed by the results, but insisted she was prepared to return to the negotiating table and advance union members' interests.
"I was disappointed because when we have an agreement in principal in our hands and we recommend it ... it's because we believe in it," she told reporters. "We're rolling up our sleeves, continuing this battle until there's something for them that will make a difference."
She said the union, whose members include nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists — technicians who operate blood pumps during cardiac surgery — will next regroup with local representatives to understand the agreement's shortcomings.
The tentative deal included general salary increases of at least 17.4 per cent over five years; new premiums for evening, night and weekend work; greater flexibility for workers to control their own schedules; and changes to vacation day accumulation and seniority recognition, among dozens of other measures.
The rejection of the deal comes after 15 months of negotiations between the FIQ and provincial government and eight days of strikes by union members last fall. Bouchard on Saturday didn't rule out additional pressure tactics, but said the focus now is on negotiations.
Reacting to the agreement's failure, Quebec Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the government would meet with the union to better understand the setback. She added, however, that the province would continue to seek more flexibility from FIQ members.
Quebec has already settled a series of labour disputes with several other public sector unions in recent months. In February, members of a group of unions representing 420,000 education and health-care workers approved a deal that also included 17.4 per cent pay increases.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 13, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6978861.1722008569!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are "standing and intact," including its iconic main lodge.
Major Canadian bank dealing with direct deposit outage on pay day
Scotiabank has acknowledged technical difficulties affecting direct deposits as clients report missed payments Friday morning. On Friday morning, the bank's client services phone line was playing an automated message assuring customers that work was underway to rectify the outage.
Elon Musk's estranged daughter calls out his 'entirely fake' claims about her childhood
Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, publicly refuted several recent anti-trans statements her Tesla CEO and X owner father has made about her.
Reported rate of child pornography increased 52% in 2023, total crime up 3%: Statistics Canada
Last year, reported child pornography cases increased by more than 50 per cent in Canada, in part due to more cases being sent to police by specialized internet child exploitation units, according to a Statistics Canada report.
Justin Timberlake's attorney disputes he was intoxicated when arrested for DWI
A hearing in the case of Justin Timberlake being accused of driving while intoxicated was held Friday, where an attorney for the singer disputed his arrest in June.
What we know about 'malicious' attack on French train network ahead of Olympics opening
French transport was thrust into chaos Friday just hours ahead of the Olympics 2024 opening ceremony after a series of co-ordinated 'malicious acts' upended high-speed train lines.Here's what happened and what we know so far.
When Barbie learned what a gynecologist was, so did many other people, according to new study
A new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA Network Open has found that the ending in the 2023 blockbuster film 'Barbie' had an influence on online search interest in terms around gynecology, the branch of medicine that deals with women’s reproductive health.
Canada Soccer head investigating 'systemic ethical shortcoming' amid spying scandal
Canada Soccer chief executive officer Kevin Blue said he was investigating a potential 'systemic ethical shortcoming' within the program but has not considered pulling the women's soccer team from the Paris Olympics due to a drone spying scandal.
Federal government posts $3.9B deficit in April, May
The result for the April-to-May period compared to a $1.5 billion surplus for the same stretch last year.