Quebec paramedics ask for conciliator in contract talks

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Union has been out of contract since April 1, 2020.

the canadian press

Ugo Giguere

Publication date:

January 16, 2022 • 17 minutes ago • 1 minute read • join the conversation

A paramedic enters the triage area of ​​the emergency room at St. Mary's Hospital in Montreal on Oct. 14, 2021.
A paramedic enters the triage area of ​​the emergency room at St. Mary’s Hospital in Montreal on Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette

The Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS-CSN), which represents 3,500 paramedics in Quebec, has called for conciliation in its negotiations on a new collective agreement.

Saying it has reached a “stalemate” in talks, the union made the request on Friday.

The previous contract expired on April 1, 2020, but renewal talks were put on hold for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Talks on monetary matters only started in the summer of 2021.

Before the holidays, negotiators tried to carry out a “flash” of talks to reach an agreement before Christmas. On Saturday, the union blamed the government for the pace of the talks and for “closing the door” on almost all the proposals. The union is calling for “substantial” increases in pay to close the gap with other health care workers and improve recruitment and retention. He also wants to reduce workload, reform shift scheduling and improve security.

The union has strike mandates “to use at an opportune moment,” he said, though paramedics would have to ensure essential services are maintained. If conciliation doesn’t work, the union plans to use pressure tactics to ask the labor board to force managers to replace picketing workers.

Reference-montrealgazette.com

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