As COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate based on an employee’s education, neither should the bonuses.

Opinion:

Health and social service employees are frontline workers and Quebec needs to support them with equal and fair bonuses, now is not the moment to comfort the bottom-line.

Premier François Legault and Health Ministers Danielle McCann, both need to do right by the province’s healthcare workers by justly, adjusting the unjust bonuses from a percentage-based to a fixed dollar amount.

The Good

Unlike the first round of premiums (Inconvenience Premiums) which are based on a percentage of the workers earnings, the latest government incentives correctly pay workers a fixed dollar amount.

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Inconvenience Premiums, as baptized by the province were announced in April and are divided into two groups. The bonuses range from four per cent to eight per cent, based on a COVID-19 exposure risk.

The Bad

Let’s begin with renaming the inconvenience premium for what it really is – danger pay.

As COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate based on an employee’s education, neither should the bonus. Percentage-based premiums place value on education over the human factor.

Healthcare personnel is already compensated based on their education, as the rewards of higher education should be. A doctor makes more income than a nurse, and a nurse earns a higher salary than a patient attendant.

“There is all the staff who work with a sense of duty, humanely with the sick. I say thank you. But I think it takes a little more than thanks, it also takes concrete action”

Primier Legault at an early April 02, press conference.

The Muddy

Next, would be to illuminate the fact, all healthcare workers are essential, including social sector personnel. Whether they work in CHLSDs, hospitals, or anywhere they perform the assigned tasks, they are ALL essential.

They contribute daily to the war on COVID-19. An invisible lethal ‘assassin’ that as of this Sunday, indiscriminately attacked over 4.7 Million citizens worldwide, killing more than 300,000, along with hundreds of healthcare workers.

This platoon of committed healthcare workers, aware of the risks, marches daily to their workstations on the battlegrounds. At times without the required personal protective equipment (PPE).

From the security guard who screens patients, authorized visitors and personnel as they arrive at work to the clerical agents who greet and process patient documents and place the identity bracelets on the patients.

The laundry attendant who collects and transports soiled linen, the diet aid who delivers meals and receives the dirty dishes. Transport attendants who are in constant contact with patients, the housekeeper who sanitizes the establishment, equipment reprocessing attendants, plus patient attendants, nurses, auxiliary nurses, social workers, x-ray and lab technicians… to name just a few.

How Much?

The amount of the premium should equitably and sincerely reflect the inconvenience and hazards facing healthcare staff. And should be retro to the start date of the premiums.

Since Quebec gave people who work in private nursing homes a COVID-19 4 dollar hourly increase, which they deserve, this amount might be a good starting point for all public healthcare and social sector employees – and they too deserve it.

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