February 5, 2018

As you may have seen in the news over the last few days, the FIQ and the government’s interpretations of reality are at odds and a topic of hot debate. The Liberal government is attempting to downplay the distress and violence that healthcare professionals are currently speaking out against across Quebec. It is even trying to blame all the health system’s problems on us.

While full-time positions are currently being publicly debated, the fact remains that in the regions, 40% of part-time staff would like to be full-time according to a survey conducted before the holidays. Of course, with the deterioration of current practice conditions (mandatory overtime, unhealthy work atmosphere, etc.), we need to work on a broad solution that will improve work organization definitively in the units before assuming that posting some full-time jobs will prove useful. In this regard, we believe jobs should be increased on a large-scale simultaneously throughout all centres of activity in order to improve job structures all at once and not just post jobs here and there, as is currently done in Quebec.

In addition to full-time positions, several other major issues are at stake in the local collective agreement negotiations in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Be aware that the employer is currently unwilling to improve or enhance your work conditions. Quite the opposite. The employer wants to deteriorate work conditions stipulated in the collective agreement, in part by making you more mobile (region, distance, tentative home base, etc.) and more flexible (shifts, reassignment, schedule, etc.). It’s time to say: “We’ve been through enough!”

Pink glasses will be given out starting next week. Based on the situation, you will receive a signal to wear them every day, either on your face, around your neck, on your head, in your lab coat pocket, etc.

Let’s show the employer, ALL TOGETHER, that it’s time to see things clearly and stop wearing rose-coloured glasses. By wearing them, you are also showing that working under our current conditions, we need to wear rose-coloured glasses to see things in the same way as the government: to think everything is rosy, that the changes are for the patients’ well-being.

Here is the first of a series of clips to promote an essential management tool to deal with the Barrette reform and the CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue’s management decisions!

“WE’VE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH!” UNITED TO CREATE A HEALTHY SYSTEM!
A message from your union executive committee and your local negotiating committee