Paramedics on strike: Quebec and CSN still at odds

Intensive negotiations held in July over the paramedic strike have stalled. The two sides remain divided over what concessions paramedics must make to receive a higher wage increase than what Quebec is currently offering.

According to Jean Gagnon, spokesperson for the pre-hospital sector at the FSSS-CSN, more months of strike action are likely.

Essential services to the public remain in place. The strike by roughly 3,300 paramedics affiliated with CSN unions has mostly taken the form of administrative pressure tactics.

Quebec has said it’s willing to agree to a 17.4 per cent wage increase over five years—matching the union’s proposal—in exchange for concessions from paramedics, who have been without a collective agreement since March 31, 2023. The CSN argues that this increase aligns with what was granted in the broader public sector. While the union is open to making concessions, it disagrees with Quebec on what those should be.

“We tried a three-week negotiation blitz in July to reach a deal,” said Gagnon. “But clearly, the people across from us at the table didn’t have the mandate to finalize an agreement we could bring back to our members.”

Talks are set to resume on Sept. 5. Gagnon says there’s still a lot to clarify and hopes negotiators will come back with the authority to reach a tentative agreement.

“What’s holding things up is that we want the same wage increases granted to the public sector in the last round of talks,” he explained.

“But we also have a lingering issue from the previous negotiation — we accepted a five per cent wage advance because we couldn’t agree on what a paramedic’s salary should be.”

“We need to settle this once and for all,” he added. “It’s not just about that five per cent advance — we need to agree on the final value of a paramedic’s wage.”

Gagnon also criticized Quebec’s proposal to increase penalties for those who retire before age 60.

Paramedics plan to ramp up their visibility in the coming weeks. “We’ll make sure we’re heard until we get a deal,” Gagnon said.

—The Canadian Press’s health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. Editorial choices are solely those of The Canadian Press.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews