Posted Aug 21, 2023 3:27pm ET
FIQ union leader Julie Bouchard reacts to the government offers at a news conference in Quebec City, Thursday, December 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
This time may be the right time: the pace of negotiations between the FIQ and the Legault government will finally pick up speed. And Minister Sonia LeBel says she wants to find a solution “quickly.”
Both Finance Minister LeBel and Julie Bouchard, president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé health union, reported cordial exchanges after meeting Prime Minister François Legault in Montreal on Monday.
“During the hour-long meeting, the parties not only addressed general issues,” Bouchard said. Issues close to the hearts of the nurses, such as work-life balance and a safe caregiver-patient relationship were discussed, she added.
LeBel was equally determined.
“We agreed that we had to agree quickly that it was critical to taking care of the population … that we could find concrete solutions (for) the network to give our caregivers some oxygen,” LeBel said.
The FIQ presented its demands last November and the Legault government presented its offers to all unions in December. Negotiations have been going on for several months. The collective agreements expired on March 31st.
– This report from The Canadian Press was first published in French on August 21, 2023
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