Government refuses to extend certain premiums beyond September 30

September 14, 2023

Montréal , 2023 – “As if the government’s offer to increase our pay by 9% over five years wasn’t going to make us poor enough, they’re now putting icing on the cake (or should we say a squirt of lime juice in a Labatt Bleue?).” Such is the Front commun’s take on the government’s refusal to extend a number of premiums and other measures beyond September 30, 2023.

The Front commun’s demand to maintain these premiums for the duration of contract talks has been on the table since October 28, 2022. But the parties were still deadlocked on the issue at the most recent bargaining session on September 12. Speaking with one voice, Front commun representatives were sharply critical of the government’s counterproductive attitude. “This is the umpteenth proof of the government’s arrogance,” said CSN first vice-president Francois Enault, CSQ president Éric Gingras, FTQ president Magali Picard and APTS president Robert Comeau. “These premiums represent thousands of dollars per year for thousands of people working in health, social services, and education. They count on these sums to shop for groceries and pay their bills. So when the government uses the premiums to score points at the bargaining tables, that’s not acceptable.”

Employer of choice?

“Where is the employer of choice they keep talking about?” added the spokespersons. “Where are the solutions the government claims to be bringing to the table? At some point, enough is enough. The contradiction between what the government says in public and what’s actually happening at the bargaining tables is precisely why the Front commun is recommending that its 420,000 members vote for a strike mandate.”

Premiums, lump-sum payments and budgets due to end on September 30, 2023

• Retention premium for the psychologist job title
• Premium related to certain skilled workers’ job titles
• Premium for employees working in certain sectors (Director of Youth Protection) and for employees in the personnel class of health and social services technicians and professionals who work in certain sectors (Director of Youth Protection)
• Attraction and retention premium for nursing and cardio-respiratory care personnel who hold a full-time position on an evening, night or rotating shift
• Premium for medical secretaries
• Letter of Agreement (outside the collective agreement) on the 3.5% premium for nursing and cardio-respiratory care personnel
• Specialization premium of up to 10% for hourly-paid teachers who provide customized training
• Interim annual recruitment and continued employment allowance for employees working for an institution in the Far North
• Lump-sum payment for employees working with clients who have serious behaviour disorders
• Lump-sum payment for employees working with clients in residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs)
• Budget for the professional guidance of newly hired nursing and cardio-respiratory personnel
• Budget for the training and development of specialized nurse practitioners’ skills

Source: Front commun (CSN, CSQ, FTQ, APTS)