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FIQ (Fédération Interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec)

The FIQ expresses its support to Nova-Scotia Nurses in their struggle

By email
Montreal, April 4, 2014

Madam Joan Jessome
Executive Committee President
Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU)
255, John Savage Avenue
Dartmouth, Nova-Scotia  B3B 0J3

Subject: Support of the FIQ in your struggle

Ms Jesseome,

The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ, which represents 62,000 healthcare professionals in Québec, wishes to express its complete solidarity with you in the conflict that you are currently having with your government.

On one hand, the battle you are waging for safe, quality care for the patients is also an issue of many struggles that the FIQ has waged over the years and that it intends to continue. As healthcare professionals, we know that the presence of a number of caregivers in proportion to the number of patients to be cared for is one of the means, among the most decisive, to promote for ensuring quality care for our patients, as well as for better working conditions and of professional practice, for the caregivers. Moreover, this demand is made by many organizations with whom the FIQ collaborates across the world.

On the other hand, there is a significant paradox in the essential services legislation already in effect in Québec, legislation of the same nature of that that your government wants to pass. While the law forces unions, during pressure tactics or strikes, to respect a minimum percentage of professional resources, outside of periods of work conflict, the employers will very often schedule fewer personnel than the minimum required by the provisions on essential services, without ever fearing any sanctions from the government. In fact, the good will of our governments to protect the public by the implementation of patient/healthcare professional ratios disappears outside of periods of work conflict.

Thus, be assured that the FIQ supports you in your fight for the implementation of patient/healthcare professional ratios for safe, quality care and encourages you to continue this very important battle.

Best regards,

The President,

Régine Laurent