According to La Presse, Premier François Legault approached Quebec public sector health-care unions Sunday with the possibility of signing a three-year collective agreement which, given the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, would be negotiated quickly.

On Wednesday, the two presidents of the FIQ and the APTS, which represent 131,000 health-care workers, told the Canadian Press they accept the outstretched hand of the premier and see the situation as critical and necessary.

The CSN, FTQ, CSQ labour federations representing the balance of the provinces public health-care workforce have not yet agreed to Legault’s proposal.

The CSN found the offer unacceptable. “The Prime Minister raised the possibility of concluding public sector negotiations only for health care workers and without accommodation to improve their working conditions. For us, such a proposal was unacceptable and completely outside of our mandates. This is why no discussion has been initiated with the government on these bases,” CSN communication to public-sector unions.

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