The proposed agreement in principle falls well short of the Unions mandate, which would see healthcare workers receive an hourly rate increase of five dollars over three years.

In late May the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) trade union received a tentative agreement proposal from the Quebec government, giving its public sector workers a pay rate increase of 5 per cent over three years.

The proposal includes a one time lump sum, and salary scales adjustments for selected job titles. However the hourly rate increases indicated below are far from the unions mandate as voted by the workers.

• From April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 hourly rate increased by 1.75%
• From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 hourly rate increased by 1.75%
• From April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 hourly rate increased by 1.5%

In October 2019 the CSN submitted to the government demands of a $3 hourly pay rate increase for the first year, plus 3 per cent, or $1, whichever amount is higher, for each of the following two years.

Housekeeping (heavy-duty) staff and kitchen workers earning $19.69 in 2019 will earn, including the salary adjustment, $20.78 in the third year of the governments latest proposal. An increase widely separated from the five-dollar hourly rate in the original CSN monetary demands.

A Housekeeping employee at the MGH was surprised the central would even consider an agreement which is worlds apart from the mandate voted on by the local union (MUHCEU) membership. “WTF, we voted for three dollars the first year and one dollar for the two following years, that’s a five-dollar raise, not five per cent.”

Under the governments proposal a Class 3 Administrative Agent at the top echelon earning $21.55 an hour in 2019, at the end of the proposed three-year contract with the salary scale adjustments will earn an hourly rate of $22.71. A far cry from the five-dollar mandate which would pay the worker an hourly rate of $26.55 within three years.

A Class 1 Administrative Agent at the top echelon earning $24.22 an hour in 2019, will earn a hourly rate of $25.47. If the union demands were met the hourly salary would increase to $29.22.

Housekeeping (heavy-duty) staff and kitchen personnel earning $19.69 in 2019 would earn, with the salary adjustments, $20.78 at the end of the three-year contract. An increase widely separated from the five-dollar hourly rate in the original CSN monetary demands.

A Return to Salary Scales

Despite the existence of procedures in place and a tribunal to address pay equity, the new suggested agreement follows in the footsteps of the previous contract and includes salary scales in the third year of the contract.

“Why to include salary scales in contract negotiations, is it to ticket us, do they think we’re stupid,” said a patient attendant working at the MUHC Glen campus.

A Return to The Lump Sum

Similar to the previous contract, the proposed agreement includes a one-time lump sum of between .33 and .44 cents for each hour worked between April 01, 2019, and March 31, 2020. The lump sum will be paid on December 15, 2020.

Read More:

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