Public sector bargaining: Sonia LeBel tables her "reform"

Sonia LeBel, Treasury Board president, tabled Bill 100, which overhauls the public sector bargaining process.

This reform raises important questions, and the APTS is urgently calling for in-depth consultations.

The government will have to show genuine willingness to fully acknowledge the interests of a wide range of occupations in the health and social services system, including some 110 occupations represented by the APTS.

For details, see the email APTS president Robert Comeau sent to all members and our official press release.

Read the press release

Bill 101 on labour relations: one step forward, three steps back!

On the one hand, valuable measures to reduce arbitration delays. On the other, unacceptable rules regarding prevention and participation in occupational health and safety.

Introducing a specific OHS* system for the public sector, as Minister Jean Boulet’s Bill 101 on labour relations proposes, releases the government from the legal obligations he’s imposing on other employers and institutes a two-track system.

That means that women, who form the majority of the workforce in the public sector, aren’t entitled to the same protection mechanisms as sectors where men make up the majority. Outrageous!

We’re tracking developments closely…

* Occupational health and safety

Read the press release

Bill 98, or how to stifle public debate

The minister responsible for democratic institutions, Jean-François Roberge, tabled Bill 98, which is a serious threat to the freedom of expression of unions and citizens’ groups.

It would force groups, including unions, to report any spending of more than $1,000, starting on January 1 of an election year. Political parties will be required to do so only as of July, or six months later!

Robert Comeau pointed to the double standard and is worried about the bill’s many impacts, up to and including silencing civil society.

Read the press release

Recognition of seniority: your verdict

In recent weeks, special general assemblies were held across Québec to give you a chance to weigh in on the one-time process for recognizing seniority.

This mechanism would make it possible, under certain conditions, to have seniority previously acquired with other employers in the health and social services system recognized.

The verdict is in: APTS members voted in favour of the agreement at a rate of 72.2%. We’ll keep you informed as the case wraps up.

A shield against austerity: where do we get the money?

Taxing the assets of the richest 1%, reviewing taxation, better regulating the private sector… There are fair, realistic solutions to fund the health and social services system appropriately.

Find out how to raise over $10 billion to protect our public services in the latest edition of APTS Alert!

Read the APTS Alert

RREGOP webinar

Whether you’re about to retire or at the beginning of your career, the webinar Making sense of the RREGOP and other pensions benefits (in French) is for you. It will give you the information you need to optimize your contributions to your pension plan.

When: May 15 at 5:30 p.m.

Duration: around two hours

Sign me up

If you have any questions, contact us at retraite.assurance@aptsq.com. Union leave time cannot be granted for this type of meeting.

Calculate your insurance premiums

The calculation tool for insurance premiums was recently updated with the new rates. It lets you see the financial impact of your insurance choices on your premiums and remuneration.

It also lets you check whether your employer’s source deductions on your pay stub match the premium for the type of plan you’ve chosen.

Don’t hesitate to use the calculator and refer to the brochure Your plan at a glance. It contains full details about your insurance coverage.

Use the calculator

A phony solution leads to public outcry

Abolishing the graduate medical laboratory technician job title and forcing employees to take positions as medical technologists is the solution the MSSS* has proposed to alleviate the labour shortage in some laboratories.

“A phony solution,” was the unanimous criticism leveled by the seven unions, including the APTS. A “measure that won’t solve anything. All it does is displace the problem without addressing the root causes of the staffing shortage.”

Together, we and our union partners will do everything we can to make sure the ministry walks back its plan.

* Health and social services ministry (Ministère de la Santé et des
   Services sociaux)

Read the press release

Lab week: valued professions

The APTS marked National Medical Laboratory Week from April 13 to 19 with the theme “Lab Work, That’s Us!”

Members of the provincial working committee on medical laboratories (Table nationale des laboratoires de biologie médicale) thought it essential to send a positive message emphasizing the value of the profession. Visuals have also circulated that present the different professions of APTS members who work with dedication in labs.

A vox pop was disseminated on social media, and a dedicated page (in French) was created on the APTS website.

See the web page

International Workers' Memorial Day

On April 28, we gather and honour the memory of those who have been killed, been injured or gotten sick because of their job. It’s also a day to stand in solidarity with their families, who are collateral victims.

This is a day of reflection, solidarity and engagement. It’s a chance to reiterate our commitment to working jointly with other unions and employers to ensure healthier, safer workplaces that respect workers’ physical and psychological well-being. At the APTS, prevention in OHS is a top priority.

May 1 march: Still standing up against austerity

Toujours debout contre l’austérité is the theme for May 1st, when thousands of people will gather to march through the city’s streets for International Workers’ Day under the auspices of the Coalition du 1^er mai, of which the APTS is a member.

“Austerity measures substantially weaken our society, our public services and our social safety net, affecting the most vulnerable groups first,” said the Coalition, an assessment shared by the APTS.

Austerity, widespread cuts, attacks on the right to strike: there are plenty of reasons to stand up. Let’s make sure there’s a big turnout!

Event details

Breach of confidentiality: dismissed then reinstated

After being dismissed for consulting their own file and that of a family member without authorization, one of our CIUSSS MCQ* members was reinstated thanks to APTS representations.

The arbitrator imposed a one-month suspension without pay, arguing that the initial sanction was disproportionate to the misconduct and circumstances of the case.

Consulting a medical file without authorization is misconduct that generally leads to suspension, which the arbitrator took into account, reproaching the employer for having inflicted “capital punishment” with no progression in sanctions.

*  Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de
la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec 

New factsheets on the digital transformation

The “Digital Transformation” section of the APTS website recently added two new factsheets: one on the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care and the other on professional autonomy and AI.

Discover how systems have been developed to help with service user referrals and triage and the principles for combining AI and professional autonomy.

See the factsheets

Six of one, half a dozen of the other

True or false? The last provincial budget scrapped the $1.5 billion in cuts Santé Québec was ordered to make shortly after its creation.

70% of you responded “False.” The remaining 30% who chose “True” were in the minority, but were nevertheless right.

But even though the government ultimately shelled out $1.1 billion to balance the health care system budget last year, Santé Québec still has to deal with a $1.4 billion shortfall for 2025-2026, as recently reported by many media outlets.

The more things change, the more they stay the same…

Take our latest quiz