Why today I strike

Slap to the face
One of the reasons I’m on strike today is because of the ‘slap on the face’ I received from the Quebec government last April, when they quietly raised the salaries of the health-sector executives by up to 20 per cent. Normand Rinfert received a 10 per cent increase and saw his salary rise to $289,920 from $263,564. An increase of $26,356, even though he did not take on any new responsibilities.

Punch to the stomach
The government justified these increases in saying “the salaries in the rest of Canada are really, really higher, so we had to be more competitive to keep our good managers here.”  The same applies to my salaries when compared to the rest of Canada and I’m a good employee.

Kick below the waist
The Quebec government then offers me for the next 5 years a 3 per cent increase. Today I’m on STRIKE

Update strike info

Yesterday we were informed that not all departments / units received their strike schedules. Union delegates met with most of the managers, supervisors, head nurses for these departments.

Today there will be several tours of the hospital by teams of hospital and union representatives to make sure that the strike is being respected and that services to patients are maintained at 90%, and 100% in critical care areas (ER, OR, ICU’s, Dialysis).
This is a legal strike and the union members are obliged to respect the strike.
If an employee performs the work of another employee who is on strike they are considered by the union to be strike breakers, and they can be subject to fines.

Managers, supervisors, head nurses must ensure that their employees respect the strike. They are also not allowed to perform the work of the employee who is on strike. This is a penal offence and the union will deposit a complaint.

The strike zone will be off of the hospital grounds and should be marked by a white tent.

Make sure that you register your presence by completing a registration card provided at the strike zone. If you don’t fill out a registration card you will not receive any strike pay.

If you have any questions please call your local union office.