PROVINCIAL CONTRACT TALKS
Stepping up our mobilization efforts

Over the past few weeks, APTS activist members in Laval and Estrie expressed their dissatisfaction with government offers. On May 13, the Front commun will be heading for Sherbrooke to demonstrate while the CAQ holds its convention. Many of us will be there to send the government a clear message: in order to attract and retain workers, we need better working conditions and a pay increase that will close the wage gap and stop us from getting poorer. Sign up if you want to be part of the action!

HEALTH CARE REFORM (PLAN SANTÉ)
Dubé reform: look out!

Did you know that Minister Dubé’s Bill 15 to “make the health and social service system more efficient” will encourage greater use of the private sector at the expense of our public system? That the minister is getting ready to create Santé Québec, a new administrative structure that will centralize decision-making even though the agency will be miles away from what’s happening on the ground? That he plans to eliminate local collective agreements, denying your region’s specific characteristics? That he wants to merge all local bargaining units, removing your right to choose the union that will represent you?

The Dubé reform will affect you directly. To know more about its contents, see our web page “A strong union for a strong public system” and stay tuned for more information on protest actions that you’ll be invited to take part in. Let’s act together to block the Dubé reform!

SOCIO-POLITICAL ACTION
Dubé reform: can't we do anything but play around with structures?

The CAQ government’s Bill 15 means a new upheaval for Québec’s health care system, which will once again be forced to deal with major structural changes. Meanwhile, nothing is being done to address the real causes of our current quagmire. Minister Dubé’s controversial reform is based on a management model whose value has yet to be demonstrated in the scientific literature. Far more promising alternatives are described by LaRISSS, the new Laboratoire de recherche en santé et services sociaux set up by IRIS. One of these is co-production of services, in which the system is organized as a “pluralist system based on the local and democratic management of services.”
A recent IRIS publication provides more information
(in French). Definitely worth reading!

PAY EQUITY AND SALARY RELATIVITY
Researchers working in institutions: we'd like to know you better

The APTS is currently seeking more information about members who are working as researchers in an institution. (This is a job that is not included in the List of job titles.)

If you have a doctoral degree in a research field, are affiliated with a university, or are eligible for a position as associate professor, please write to mcvincent@aptsq.com before May 15, 2023, and tell us your name, the institution for which you work, and your current job title. We’ll be in touch to ask for more information about your profile. Many thanks for your cooperation!

The government wants to devalue the clinical sexologist job title

The provincial committee on jobs recently completed its work on determining salary rankings for sexologists and clinical sexologists. The parties agreed that the ranking for the sexologist job title was 22, but failed to reach consensus for clinical sexologists. The inter-union coalition evaluates the job title at ranking 24 and argues that the employer is in bad faith in calling for a lower ranking. The scores of the disputed sub-factors will now go to arbitration.

For more information, see the unions’ joint press release.

The MSSS intends to abolish the graduate medical laboratory technician job title

Unions representing health and social service employees were informed on April 11 that the employer plans to abolish the graduate medical laboratory technician job title (2224). It’s important to know that according to information received so far from the health and social service ministry (MSSS), this decision will have no impact on anyone currently holding a position with this job title, since the employer intends to proceed through attrition. Representatives of the inter-union coalition for the health and social service sector are currently analyzing the notice sent by the CPNSSS (the management bargaining committee for the health and social service sector). The unions have 90 days to produce and send their response.

For more information, see the unions’ joint press release.

ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
Province-wide survey on expanding the scope of professional practices

Expanding or broadening the scope of professional practices is the next big step in the major reform of the health care system that is currently under way. As part of a province-wide consultation on this issue, and regardless of your job title, the APTS would like to know about your experiences, opinions, hopes and fears regarding the expansion of professional practices – which is why we’re asking you respond to our survey no later than May 17.

MSSS organizes a focus day on labs

To ensure the quality and sustainability of services provided by public laboratories, the APTS participated in a focus day organized by the health and social service ministry (MSSS) on April 28. We took a leadership role by putting forward three approaches to solutions:

1. measures to attract and retain biomedical laboratory technology graduates,

2. decentralization of labs,

3. a moratorium on any new building project related to OPTILAB.

The APTS will also be producing a brief, and hopes that concrete actions will quickly be taken as a result of this event. We hope to provide more details in June.

LABOUR RELATIONS
Employee rights during legal strike action in 2021: the APTS wins a second victory

After a first major victory at the MUHC, the APTS has now been successful at the CHUM with regard to employee rights during legal strike action taken in 2021. Arbitrator Guimond ruled that the employer may not modify the working conditions of employees providing essential services without reaching an agreement with the union, and therefore ordered the employer to restore the right to accumulate seniority. We are now waiting to see if the CPNSSS will act as it did at the MUHC and try to have the decision overturned by using the exceptional procedure of applying for judicial review. To be continued.