End of the public health emergency: unions denounce the government’s authoritarian attitude
Clearly incapable of measuring the devastating effects of the ministerial orders, which for months crushed the morale of thousands of health and social service workers, the government is preparing to do the same thing once again. To the FSSS-CSN, FSQ-CSQ, FIQ and FIQP, SQEES-FTQ, SCFP, APTS, FP-CSN and SPGQ this is an affront to democracy and shows an utter lack of respect for their members’ wish to have working conditions negotiated in good faith. Labour organizations will do everything in their power to stop this bill from passing as is and will take any measures necessary to make their voices heard, as provided in the rules of democracy.
The public health emergency is over, but the government wants to keep all of its powers to issue ministerial orders for the working conditions of health and social services network staff until December 31. This means it will maintain the right to impose inequitable, unilaterally decreed measures without consulting network staff or their representatives.
With the tabling of its bill to end the public health emergency, the government is using the health crisis to unilaterally modify health and social services network workers’ working conditions and promote the private sector in the network by extending its contracts. This is a violation of union rights: the right of association and the right to collective bargaining. It is a denial of checks and balances and an abuse of its executive power.
The bill does not specify the measures the government intends to maintain, which only adds to workers’ confusion. What guarantee do they have that the ministerial orders will not resume? That this bill won’t be extended after December? Throughout this pandemic, the past has been a pretty good indicator of the future. Once again, the government is not showing any transparency nor is it willing to collaborate with anyone.
“We strongly denounce Bill 28, which clearly aims to withdraw the health and social services network staff’s right to decide on their own working conditions. The government won’t be rebuilding trust with network workers by continuing to make decisions on its own, quite the opposite. Once again, the government is throwing oil on the fire and maintaining a climate of uncertainty and mistrust. To end the crisis, the government needs to listen to us and implement permanent measures to recognize staff and attract the next cohort,” denounced the representatives of the FSQ-CSQ, FIQ and FIQP, SQEES-FTQ, SCFP, APTS, FP-CSN and SPGQ.