PROVINCIAL CONTRACT TALKS
Contract talks pick up speed

Contract talks are now entering a new phase, a month and a half after the expiry of public-sector collective agreements. Work is accelerating at the sectoral bargaining table where your conditions of work and practice are discussed. Until very recently, the employer party chose to be available only one half-day every three weeks. That pace was not exactly conducive to meaningful exchanges. But now, our counterparts from the employer side are committed to working with us one day a week.

Union and employer have now presented their demands and offers at the sectoral table, and a period of exchanges is beginning. Throughout this period, your bargaining team will be trying to achieve as many gains as possible. You’ll hear about them in upcoming issues of our Bargaining Update newsletter.

$900 premium for (some) youth protection workers: divide and rule is still the strategy

Reimbursement of dues paid to professional orders by APTS members is one of the demands that your bargaining team is putting forward at the sectoral table. However, on May 5, Minister Lionel Carmant issued an administrative directive to give a $900 premium covering these dues to one group only: youth workers employed in the Director of Youth Protection’s assessment-referral sector. This is grossly inadequate. We are currently analyzing the ministerial directive and looking at legal recourses that would enable us to uphold your right to negotiations that are free, fair, and carried out in good faith. We’ll tell you about these recourses in the near future.

For more information, see our Bargaining Update No. 4.

Update on offers in mental health

Treasury Board president Sonia LeBel announced last February that the government would be presenting a specific proposal for mental health services that would include the compensation given to psychologists working for the public system. Details of this offer were not made known until March 27. Your bargaining team has analyzed the proposal and is working to reach the best possible agreement. How generous, in fact, is Ms. Lebel’s proposal? To find out, see our Bargaining Update No.4.

ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
Medical labs are key to providing accessible, high-quality public services

Media coverage in recent months, along with the growing chorus of voices calling for decentralization of medical labs, seems to have strengthened our hand. The APTS had already told the health and social services ministry (MSSS) about its concerns on several occasions in 2022. Recently, on April 28, the MSSS held a day-long consultation on the organization of medical labs in the health and social services system.

The APTS attended the consultation and submitted a brief to the MSSS and stakeholders. Focusing on three themes (attraction/retention, decentralization, and a moratorium), we identified concrete solutions to provide accessible, high-quality public services, and we pointed out that reaching this goal will inevitably involve recognizing the professions of Class 4 professional and technical personnel, including biomedical laboratory technology graduates. See our brief for more information.

THE APTS IN THE MEDIA
"Medical imaging: close to a third of technologists are thinking of leaving the public system"

After publication of the results of an APTS survey of medical imaging (diagnostic radiology and sonography), nuclear medicine, radiation oncology and medical electrophysiology technologists, La Presse and Paul Arcand’s radio show picked up the news item this morning: close to a third of these technologists are thinking of leaving the public system because of their working conditions and the lack of recognition granted their profession.

“We had to lobby the government to get it to include technical medical departments [in the plan to reform the health care system], which just shows how little attention they’re likely get in the first place,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “In terms of energy and investment, it’s really irritating to have to do this work, when the job these people are doing is essential. Without medical imaging, surgical procedures have to be delayed. Our members are there before, during and after medical follow-up – and we’re there in the emergency room, too.” Worth reading, hearing, and sharing!

SOCIO-POLITICAL ACTION
PANEL DISCUSSION | Climate challenge issues in Québec and elsewhere

A panel discussion on climate issues is being organized by the Réseau intersyndical pour le climat, an inter-union coalition to fight climate change to which the APTS belongs. Ouranos director Alain Bourque and green economy specialist Hugo Séguin will discuss environmental issues in terms of science, politics, and the world of work. The event (in French) will take place both in person and by videoconference on June 16, from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m. Sign up now and confirm your presence on Facebook!

SOCIAL SECURITY
SSQ online services are moving to Beneva

On June 19, Beneva will bring all of its online services together on the beneva.ca website. If you’re a user of the SSQ mobile app, you’ll need to download the Beneva app. Subscribers to the SSQ newsletter will be notified by email starting June 5. If you have questions, contact the Beneva team at 1-888-235-0688.

UNION LIFE
Caroline Senneville reelected as CSN president

The APTS rejoices in the reelection of Caroline Senneville as president of the CSN (Confédération des syndicats nationaux). We have been working in solidarity with the CSN for many years; cooperation between our two organizations is currently embodied in the Front commun, a labour coalition established to negotiate public-sector collective agreements.

“We congratulate Caroline Senneville on her reelection,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “She has a vision that brings people together, and she is utterly determined to fight for workers’ rights – these are true assets for the Québec labour movement. It’s also good news that François Enault has been reelected as first vice-president of the CSN and that he continues to be in charge of public-sector contract talks. The Front commun’s 420,000 members will undoubtedly benefit from his commitment and experience.”