In July 2020, a nurse was violently attacked in an improvised psychiatric unit in Montérégie-Est. She was strangled for many minutes before the police arrived.

In 2018, a licensed practical nurse in Beauce had a miscarriage after a patient kicked her in the stomach.

Unfortunately, these sad cases are among the growing number of workplace injuries for women workers in the health and education sectors. Even though they only make up 19.2% of total jobs in Quebec, these workers account for 35.7% of all recognized employment injuries.

Given these alarming statistics, it would be logical to think the government would offer them better occupational health and safety protection. However, despite their promises, the Minister of Labour, Jean Boulet, is proposing the exact opposite with Bill 101.

Bill 101 considerably reduces the duties of health and safety committees and health and safety representatives in the health and education sectors, in addition to removing deadline requirements for prevention programs.

Given that 81% of the workforce in the healthcare sector is made up of women, this is a bitter affront to women’s health and safety at work.

Under these circumstances, the FIQ strongly condemns Bill 101 and invites you to add your voice to denounce this major issue that compromises the safety, dignity and health of female public sector workers