At a time when the organization is forced by Quebec to tighten its belt and must find a way to cut $90 million from its expenses by March, the hasty move in mid-October of this service point ( samples, vaccination, screening, etc.) established since 2021 at 75, boulevard de La Gappe as well as the resulting consequences have generated costs reaching $300,000, we learned The Law.
It all started when a little earlier this fall, the landlord – the Harden Group which manages RioCan’s shopping centers in Quebec – asked the CISSSO to terminate the agreement with 30 days’ notice, while the CISSSO had a renewed monthly lease for these spaces where it was possible to obtain blood tests and urine collections without an appointment.
“The owners actually asked to terminate the agreement with 30 days’ notice. Relocation plans have been carried out for the sampling, vaccination and screening services, with a move and rearrangement of the space to allow the maintenance of services,” indicates the CISSSO.
Urgent talks with the unions had to begin as soon as the news broke since, as explained by the Union of Health and Social Services Workers of Outaouais (STTSSSO-CSN), a change of port of employment requires a minimum notice of 45 days, stipulates the collective agreement. Such a modification cannot also take place more than once a year.
The premises at 75, de la Gappe, where the CISSSO has offered sampling and vaccination services since 2021. It had to leave the premises in October. (Patrick Woodbury/Archives Le Droit)
After learning on a Friday that he had to vacate the premises quickly, the employer worked on plans B for a whole weekend before meeting “in disaster” the following Monday with three unions including the STTTSSSO-CSN, was described to us.
Grievances have been filed regarding this.
Domino effect
This is because these changes had a domino effect since the redevelopment of the premises at the head office at 80, avenue Gatineau forced the relocation until further notice of a total of 117 employees to two other addresses where the CISSSO rents space. in town, namely 85, rue Bellehumour and 92, boulevard Saint-Raymond.
“The staff was informed quickly and the situation was presented to the unions, particularly considering the change of home port. We left 75, La Gappe on Friday, October 18 and we started (at 80, avenue Gatineau) the vaccination/sampling offer on October 19 and 20 and the screening/vaccination (at 105-107, rue Crémazie) on October 22 [le prélèvement à cet endroit est à venir]“, we explain.
According to the president of the STTTSSSO-CSN, Alain Smolynecky, while positions could be at stake and the health network is asked to cut certain expenses, this situation could clearly have been avoided, especially in the current context.
“As I told Dr. Bilodeau [le PDG]before slashing human resources, we really need to review the management method. The relocation of the collection center cost the CISSS extremely expensive to relocate services and employees, because it did not want to renew the lease (over a longer period initially), perhaps thinking of moving in its forecasts , he said. They had to empty the ground floor of 80, avenue Gatineau, move the employees there, rearrange the walls, same thing on Lois Street; That’s money poorly spent, poorly managed.”
Non-urgent appointments for samples, such as blood tests, made in Estrie during the week of January 10 to 14 will be postponed, announces the CIUSSS. (Jessica Garneau/Archives La Tribune)
Since the summer of 2021, the rental of commercial premises on Boulevard de La Gappe had generated total costs of $1,668,000 for the CISSSO. On average, we are therefore talking about nearly $42,000 per month.
An illogical sequence, says the union
According to Mr. Smolynecky, given all the cascade of consequences that this generated, even if the rental of the commercial premises on Boulevard de La Gappe was accompanied by an expensive bill, it would have been more logical to sign a lease at a little long term and to wait for the opening of 70, Crémazie, a building which must be the subject of a promise to purchase alongside the Affiliated University Hospital Center (CHAU) project of the Outaouais. Last June, Quebec announced that it wanted to bring together a sampling and vaccination center, several front-line services and the OPTILAB laboratories under this roof.
“And there, when Crémazie is developed, they will take the people from 80, avenue Gatineau and send them there; then we will have to take the employees from 85, Bellehumour and bring them back to 80, avenue Gatineau,” laments Mr. Smolynecky.
To a greater extent, the union criticizes the quantity of spaces rented by the CISSSO in the territory, believing that there would be savings to be made if we thought differently.
“At 85, Bellehumour, there is half of the building rented by the CISSSO. It’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent instead of being at home, having administrative offices under our ownership. It costs a fortune to rent,” says the union leader.
Regarding the building at 70, rue Crémazie, where services that we initially wanted to integrate into the future new hospital would be offered, the CISSSO did not wish to comment on the progress of the project.
“We are in the process of diligent review in this matter,” it is said.
