PROVINCIAL CONTRACT TALKS
The collective agreement has finally been signed

It’s official – your new collective agreement has been signed and will take effect on June 16. Pay adjustments will start on July 22, or thereabouts, and payment of retroactive amounts will take place in the fall.

“Today, we’re reaping the benefits of efforts made by tens of thousands of professionals and technicians who chose to stand up to the government,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “They demanded better working conditions and greater recognition of their expertise, and we feel very proud as we reach the end of these contract talks.”

For more information

PAY EQUITY AND JOB EVALUATION
Additions to the Pay Equity and Job Evaluation newsletter

When our Pay Equity and Job Evaluation newsletter was published two weeks ago, we received a number of questions that we wanted to answer. To clarify certain points, the editorial team has now added indications about the index (upper part of page 4) and more information about the 2015 and 2020 audits (in the box on page 9). We hope you find the new version useful.

ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
The future of medical labs: a unanimous vote at the National Assembly

Our focus day on the future of labs had another positive effect. Thanks to sustained representations on the part of the APTS, the Joint statement on the future of medical laboratories was brought up at the National Assembly and was the subject of a motion that was unanimously approved.

The persuasive force of the joint statement was obvious to all MNAs. By endorsing it, they acknowledged the need to preserve accessible, high-quality services centred on patients’ needs across Québec, and they asked the government to consider the solutions put forward in the document.

Coming up next: a meeting with the health and social services ministry on June 17 to discuss OPTILAB.

For more information
 

New bill on expanding professional practices (EPP)

Bill 67, which is intended to modernize Québec’s professional system and includes provisions for expanding some professional practices in health and social services, was tabled by Minister Sonia LeBel on June 4.

The APTS responded by saying that the bill provides welcome recognition of the diagnostic expertise of some of its members. However, it added an important warning: the bill will not provide lasting solutions to the problems of access to public care and services unless there is also a coherent evaluation of jobs and a genuine process of workforce planning.

We’ll be following this issue closely over the fall.

Expanding professional practices 101
 

Pride in aging: a new 2024-2029 government plan

Sonia Bélanger, the minister responsible for seniors, presented her new action plan on May 31 (in French). The APTS finds the plan disquieting, despite its many measures, and has already communicated with Minister Bélanger on this topic.

One problem is that the private sector is given a key role at the expense of the public system. Another worrisome element is the role assigned to professionals and technicians, especially in terms of professional autonomy and workload.

There is also reason to be dubious about the expected improvement of care and services provided for Quebecers, in terms of quality and accessibility.

To be continued.

Québec will finally have a Commissioner for Children's Well-Being and Rights

The government finally passed Bill 37 on May 29, making it possible to move forward with creating this position. The Commissioner’s is a voice that will need to heard, the APTS argued in its brief, Une voix qu’il faudra écouter, at parliamentary consultations on the bill.

The new Act respecting the Commissioner for Children’s Well-Being and Rights takes up some of the APTS’s proposals from the brief, such as expanding the spaces where young people can express their views and extending the Commissioner’s collaboration to more organizations, in particular the Direction nationale de la protection de la jeunesse.

FEMINIST ACTION
What progress is being made in the fight against sexual violence?

This is the theme the Intersyndicale des femmes proposed to committees on the status of women and feminist action of its seven member unions (including the APTS) during a recent focus day.

The goal is to study legislative and administrative “advances” in terms of support for victims, after the adoption of Bill 42 in March.

A panel of experts contributed to the debate: Kharoll-Ann Souffrant, social worker and author of Privilège de dénoncer; Virginie Robert, community organizer; and Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau, labour law professor.

The conclusion was that prevention, awareness and, most importantly, the involvement of as many parties as possible is the best way to check the scourge of sexual violence, in any environment.

We demonstrated for the freedom to choose!

We had a great turnout in Québec City on June 1, to show anti-choice activists that the decision to carry a pregnancy to term, or not, is a woman’s alone.

This counter-protest was organized by the Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances along with a large coalition of abortion rights organizations and many unions (including the APTS), all mobilized to denounce the first March for Life in Québec.

The APTS also signed the letter published two days before in Le Devoir to speak with a single voice against the rise of a conservative, regressive right.

SOCIO-POLITICAL ACTION
Pride Parade: join the APTS contingent!

In solidarity with the struggles of the sexual diversity and gender plurality communities, the APTS is organizing a contingent for the 2024 Pride Parade on René-Lévesque Boulevard in Montréal.

The provincial committee on gender and sexual diversity invites you to come march with the APTS, on your own or with family and friends.

When: Sunday, August 11, at 1 p.m.

Sign up at sociopolitique@aptsq.com

The meeting point has yet to be determined. Once available, the information will be sent to everyone who has signed up.

We look forward to seeing you there!

UNION ORGANIZATION
2024 SRS Awards: APTS members recognized!

Several APTS members received recognition on May 30 as winners and finalists at the 6^th edition of the SRS Awards (Prix stars du réseau de la santé).

Given out by the branch of Caisse Desjardins serving clients who work in health care, social services and life sciences, these awards celebrate the commitment of health and social services professionals to offer better care to Quebecers.

The event was also a chance for professionals to be recognized by their peers for initiatives they introduced in their department or institution.

Congratulations to the APTS prizewinners!