APTS pay equity complaints from 2010 are finally settled after a 10-year battle to have the government comply with the law

July 13, 2021

Montréal – The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) is proud to announce that a settlement has been reached for its members’ pay equity maintenance complaints dating back to 2010. The following job titles are covered by the settlement: speech-language pathologist, audiologist, assistant head of archives, medical records archivist (team leader), dietitian / nutritionist and dental hygienist. Their pay ranking is raised to the next level, with retroactive application to December 31, 2010 (or to March 20, 2016, in the case of dental hygienists).

“After a 10-year battle, we’ve finally obtained a settlement putting an end to a discriminatory situation for thousands of workers in the health and social services sector. This is an important victory for the APTS members affected by this settlement – but it is very disturbing that in 2021, we still have to fight to enforce a fundamental piece of legislation ensuring equity,” said APTS interim president Robert Comeau.

Personnel in these job titles will be receiving substantial sums of money. Depending on their salary echelon in 2010, the estimated amount of retroactive pay could be up to $52,000 for a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist, up to $36,000 for an assistant head of archives, and almost as much (about $35,500) for a dietitian / nutritionist. Given that the settlement for dental hygienists applies as of 2016, the estimated amount they’ll receive is close to $16,000.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the entire pay equity team, whose members are living proof of our union’s perseverance in rectifying unacceptable situations. This long and arduous process is not to be repeated in settling the upcoming pay equity complaints. If we want to attract and retain workers in our public system, we have to ensure that the women and men who provide health care and social services receive their rightful pay. It's a question of respect," concluded Robert Comeau.

The APTS

The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) represents 60,000 members who play a key role in ensuring that health and social services institutions run smoothly. Our members provide a wide range of services for the population as a whole, including diagnostic, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychosocial intervention, clinical support, and prevention services.