The approximately 1,300 employees of the public health network who had to choose between two positions by 1is December will no longer have to do so. Santé Québec extends the transition period by one year “to better support them” and “limit the impacts on network users and staff”.
Posted at 3:41 p.m.
Updated at 4:53 p.m.
Employees who hold two jobs in two different health establishments will therefore be able to continue to work more than 40 hours per week until 1is December 2025.
“I have made a commitment to avoid wall-to-wall approaches,” declared Santé Québec CEO Geneviève Biron in a press release.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION ARCHIVES
Genevieve Biron
In recent days, I have heard the heartfelt cry of several employees in dual employment situations. I hope that we give ourselves the time to support them and find solutions for the benefit of users and staff.”
Excerpt from the press release from Geneviève Biron, CEO of Santé Québec
Santé Québec specifies that “in the context of labor shortages and high demand for services, this transition period will allow the employees concerned to continue their services to users and reduce pressure on staff.” The agency says it wants to work with union partners “to find accommodations.”
Reactions
Lahcene Lehchili is relieved by this decision from Santé Québec. The administrative agent in the CHSLD feared losing his house by cutting his salary in half. The father of four children holds two full-time positions in two Montreal health establishments.
When The Press contacted him for his reaction, his voice cracked. “I’m very happy because what they were going to do is not fair,” he said. I am very emotional because my life is based on my salary. »
He hopes that a solution will be found, for people like him, by 1is December 2025. “It’s easy to say “go look for something else”, but since we can’t work in all of Santé Québec, where are we going to work? In a cafe? I am 53 years old. »
The president of the Federation of Health and Social Services, Réjean Leclerc, welcomes this decision by Santé Québec, but deplores that his union was not consulted “beforehand”. “We asked questions on October 29, we asked for a meeting,” he maintains. We didn’t get any feedback. This proves that Santé Québec is improvisation from start to finish. »
The Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel in Health and Social Services (APTS) says it is “satisfied that Santé Québec is listening to reason and extending the transition period.” “We are ready to work with the agency to agree on solutions that promote accessibility and quality of services,” said its president Robert Comeau in a press release.
