Quebec resident doctors ready to strike in 2025, if necessary
Posted December 17, 2024 12:49 pm.
The Quebec resident physicians federation (FMRQ) says it is prepared to strike if necessary, given the impasse in its negotiations with Quebec to renew its collective agreement.
The federation has been preparing for this: in mid-November, it sent institutions a list of essential services that it proposes to maintain. It is now awaiting the response from employers, said federation president Dr. Ghassen Soufi in an interview on Tuesday.
Under the rules, the Administrative Labour Tribunal must assess the sufficiency of these services, even when there is an agreement between the employer and union parties.
The main points of dispute in this negotiation are the workload and remuneration.
The Federation wants its members who so wish to able to benefit from a day of rest after seven consecutive days of work.
As for compensation, Dr. Soufi reports that the current FMRQ agreement includes a trailer clause, which stipulates that residents will receive the same increases as those granted to government employees.
However, to pay these increases, the government would demand more flexibility, predictability, and no reduction in services to the population, said Dr. Soufi.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
