The theme for the FIQ’s 11th convention and the Regroupement des FIQ’s (RFIQ) and FIQ | Secteur privé’s (FIQP) 1st convention will be “Providing care: a collaborative affair.” The RFIQ is a new union and political structure that was created in June 2017 to unite the FIQ and FIQP under one entity.

The convention will be held from November 27 to December 1, 2017, in Lévis. It will be an occasion for delegates to discuss major issues that affect the union movement, healthcare professionals and the population in addition to adopting the Federation’s main orientations for the next four
years.

Delegates will also be electing the members of the FIQ and FIQP’s Executive Committee, as well as members of the statutory and provincial committees. These newly elected officials will be representing you until 2021!

This convention will be a time for renewal since five members of the FIQ’s Executive Committee announced in June that they will not be seeking a new mandate. The five members include President, Régine Laurent, and Vice-Presidents Linda Bouchard and Claude Boucher who will be taking welldeserved retirements. Vice-Presidents Daniel Gilbert and Line Larocque will be
pursuing new careers.

Defining our collective project

The health network has changed dramatically since the FIQ’s last convention in 2014, after Phillipe Couillard’s liberal government adopted Bill 10. The new union certification units represent a tremendous amount of members spread out over massive territories. This new regional union structure brings its fair share of challenges to ensuring all members are represented and participate in union action.

For the FIQ, thinking outside the box and proposing solutions are essential to making progress on issues and fuelling debates and reflection on health care, as much within the Federation as in the public sector. Healthcare professionals know the health network intimately and need to be able to express their views on issues that concern them, including social programs, work and living environments, health care, etc.

This convention will kick start the activists’ and members’ energy, channelling it into a broad union initiative within a balanced health network–because providing care is a collaborative affair.

For more information, please refer to the Theme Document RFIQ-D02

On December 2, 2017, the FIQ will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The convention’s visual, called Le feu dans le bleu (fire in the blue), was painted by Josiane Lanthier, a young Montrealbased visual artist. Her piece depicts the Federation’s battles and its activists’ strength and determination since the organization’s founding.

The FIQ had already started to go green a few years ago, but this will be the first paperless convention. The goal is to help fight climate change and contribute to a healthier environment.This shift will be made possible by information technology.

The Convention delegates can participate in two intersectoral workshops on Tuesday, November 28. These workshops will be conducted by union consultants from different sectors and services of the FIQ.

Everybody is talking about it (or not): inequalities and health, our business?

Social and economic inequalities have an impact on health, but is it our business as healthcare professionals? Do we need to integrate this issue into our practice or do we already do it enough by giving care every day in a difficult context? Does our union have a role to play to influence and mobilize on this issue or, faced with the scope of the challenges in the health network, should the union focus its action on defending our working conditions?

Are you “S.M.A.R.T”?

A team motivated by clear objectives will accomplish goals more easily. Did you know there is an approach for maximizing the development of these objectives, making it easier to have tangible and positive results? Rally your colleagues around the S.M.A.R.T goals.

Workplace harassment and violence: act locally, act collectively!

As part of this workshop, the participants will learn about the problems of violence and harassment that exist in the care environments from a feminist perspective, by way of gendered socialization, organizational violence and care, in order to adopt the tools and implement collective solutions for acting directly at the local level. Prevention policies, recourses, solutions and handling of complaints will be explored and updated using a practical case and common discussion.

Snowflake Operation: mobilize to divide and conquer

Mobilization is the cornerstone of union bargaining power, but it doesn’t fall out of the sky. Well-prepared strategy and fieldwork are required to build and maintain it. How can one build a lasting and efficient mobilization team? What conditions are needed for a mobilization campaign to succeed? We will try to answer these questions together using practical advice and exercises!

Better document union action: best practices

This workshop is divided into three areas: why? how? and what? There will be an overview on taking union notes, addressing their usefulness and consequences when they come up short, proposing different tools for good documentation of your union action and describing the characteristics for adequate union notes, with supporting examples. At the end of this workshop, role-playing scenarios will challenge the union representatives, both beginners and experienced reps alike.

Current political context, rise of populism and unionism: an opportunity or a threat for the FIQ

The current context is characterized by a questioning of the institutions. Faced with the precariousness and increase in inequalities, different interpretations are competing to satisfy a public looking for the guilty parties. We regularly find the “elite”, politicians and unions among the criminals. This workshop will be an opportunity to question the challenges and opportunities for labour organizations in a turbulent world.

Union democracy in an age of electronic voting

This workshop presents the results of research on the following question: can electronic voting be considered a democratic tool that ties in with traditional union practices and improves democratic processes? Because new information and communication technologies have taken root in the personal and professional lives of their members, unions must adopt new practices. This workshop will share the experience of unions that have adapted their democratic process of participation, deliberation and decision-making.

The delegates at the 2017 FIQ Convention will take part in an international panel called “Public services and healthcare professionals: current situation”. It will be an opportunity for the Global Nurses United (GNU) representatives to share their experiences in the fight against austerity and privatization of public health services.

It is not an accident that these participants are attending. On December 1st, when the FIQ is in its last day of the Convention, the GNU will be holding their own. In fact, this year, the FIQ is the host organization for this event which brings together more than forty representatives from around the world.

Created in 2013 by labour organizations, including the FIQ, GNU is involved in the issues concerning healthcare professionals around the world. Their ideal is “one planet, one people”, which is why we need to offer equitable care to everyone. From the outset, it was important for the FIQ to be part of it in order to form new alliances and stand beside organizations which experience situations that are sometimes similar, but in different contexts.

Member countries of Global Nurses United (GNU) attending the 2017 FIQ, FIQP and Regroupement des FIQ Convention:

• Australie
• Brésil
• Canada
• Corée du Sud
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• États-Unis
• Grèce
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Irlande
• Kenya
• Mexique
• Nouvelle-Zélande
• Ouganda
• Paraguay
• Pérou
• Philippines
• République dominicaine
• Taïwan
• Uruguay