FIQ nurses protest above Decarie Expressway in Montreal

The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) took visible action on Wednesday by protesting above the Decarie Expressway in Montreal, amid rush hour.

The FIQ says the CAQ government has made no effort to renew their collective agreement.

According to a press release, the union wanted their demonstration to ensure that the voices and demands of its 80,000 members are heard.

“We’ve had enough of negotiations that have dragged on since November 2022,” said FIQ President Julie Bouchard. “So many days of betrayed promises, blatant contempt, and total indifference to the legitimate demands of our members, the majority of whom are women, who work tirelessly to keep our declining healthcare network afloat.”

The FIQ said they wanted to slow down traffic to speed up negotiations and will not hesitate to slow down more traffic throughout all Montreal regions if necessary.

The FIQ has been without a collective agreement for 500 days.

The union says they have poor working conditions including mandatory overtime, inadequate equipment and denied or displaced leave.

“The CAQ government is turning a deaf ear, ignoring the urgency of the situation and the intolerable working conditions our care professionals face every day. It’s time for the government to assume its responsibilities. It must understand that the quality of patient care depends directly on the working conditions of nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists,” said Bouchard.

On X, FIQ demonstrators were seen protesting on the Namur, Snowdon, Monkland, Upper Lachine, and Côte-Sainte-Catherine overpasses.

The union has undergone several strike mandates, including walkouts in November and December of 2023, but negotiations remain at an impasse.

“Continuing to sacrifice quality of care, patient safety, and the stability of care teams in favour of government inaction will lead us down a blind alley. Respect for the expertise of care professionals is crucial if we are to guarantee effective and safe healthcare services. The CAQ must realise the devastating impact of inaction on the quality of care and the health of those who provide it. We are determined to continue the fight,” concluded Bouchard.

The Treasury Board reported that it has already reached agreements with the other public-sector unions. “We have reached agreements with the other unions, notably on the subject of mobility.”

However, the other unions represent only a small number of nurses, since nearly 90 per cent are represented by the FIQ.

The FIQ is composed of nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists working in healthcare institutions throughout Quebec.