Interview,
Benoît Taillefer, President, Workers' Union, Health and Social
Services Centre, Bordeaux-Cartierville-Saint-Laurent (FSSS-CSN)
Workers' Forum:
What group of public sector workers do you represent and what are their
main concerns and demands?
Benoît Taillefer:
I represent workers at the Health and Social Services Centre (CSSS) in
Bordeaux-Cartierville-Saint-Laurent in Categories 2 and 3. Category 2
is all the auxiliary services: the care attendants, the kitchen,
laundry, and sanitation workers; the skilled and maintenance workers.
It is amongst them that one finds the largest number of low-paid
workers in health and social services, people at the bottom of the
income ladder. Category 3 includes office staff, administrative
technicians and agents.
With regard to our demands, the first thing I want to talk about is
wages. Our wage demands are legitimate. Since 2005, under the Liberals,
we've been trampled on big time in terms of wages. We are asking for a
wage adjustment in relation to the private sector and to our needs,
which is normal. Wage-wise, we've been going down the ladder since at
least 2005. As a priority at the central table, in the first year we
are asking for an increase of $3 per hour for everyone. After that, we
are asking for an increase of $1 per hour for every year of the
three-year agreement, or three per cent and then three per cent per
year, whichever is more advantageous. For low-paid workers, an extra
dollar an hour in the second and third year may be more advantageous
than 3 per cent, while for people with higher wages, the three per cent
is more advantageous. At the federation [CSN], we have unanimity on
this demand. People with higher salaries, such as teachers and
professionals, have agreed to support us. They agree that we should put
the priority on those with the lowest wages with the $3 for the first
year for everyone. It's a fine example of the solidarity we pride
ourselves on.
At the sectoral level, one of the most important issues is
privatization, centralization and subcontracting. We are very targeted
by this, especially those who are skilled workers. Employers rely on
the private sector for such things as snow removal, which makes no
sense, or for electrical work that our electricians are perfectly
capable of doing. It may be advantageous for the employer to hire
workers through private firms, because they are not unionized, do not
have the same conditions, have no employment link, or insurance or
pension funds. Increasingly, private firms are being called on, even
though our people are capable of doing the job, often at a lower cost.
The onus is on the union to prove that, which we can do, but it takes
an enormous amount of time, while the employer has all the staff to do
it and should be doing it. A manager who is efficient should prioritize
his own people, especially if it costs less. Our workers have the same
competence cards as those from the private sector. In the case where
there is a shortage of workers, when the demand is greater than supply,
we should hire workers. Of course in the case of skilled workers, we're
not attractive compared with the private sector in terms of wages and
conditions. Conditions have to be improved to further attract and
retain workers.
In terms of health and safety, we want to be considered a priority
group within the Act
respecting occupational health and safety. This is not
currently the case. One of our major problems is psychological
distress. The latest statistics reveal that at the level of the
federation, 54 per cent of our members suffer from psychological
distress. In our sector, this is a major problem. We also have a lot of
problems with regard to violence, both verbal and physical, especially
when it comes to those who provide home care. Cases are becoming more
and more complex, and there is a lot of trivialization of what is
happening to care attendants. Increasingly, we are dealing with
psychiatric patients. Psychiatric units are opened, with the employer
simply decreeing that they are open, but our people are not trained to
deal with such situations. Psychological distress is caused by many
factors, such as work overload, a lack of appreciation, a lack of
autonomy. Those with low wages at the bottom of the ladder do not
receive the recognition and appreciation they deserve. We need
assistance, more staff, more efficient work plans which include the
necessary resources and which are actually implemented. In the current
situation, people are being over-worked because they are entirely
devoted to getting the job done at all costs, even if that means
compromising our health and safety. We also have a lot of physical
problems, with people getting injured on the job.
The priority in all of this is wages. Within such adverse conditions,
more adequate wages are needed. We need more recognition, wage-wise of
course, as well as all-round recognition. The fact that we don't have
diplomas doesn't mean that we aren't any good, that we are second class
workers or a sub-category. We must be heard, not only for appearances'
sake, but really heard, in all the existing bodies.
WF: What do you want
to say in conclusion?
BT: Neo-liberal
governments are promoting a lot of disinformation about us, that we are
the fat cats of the system. It's not true. We deserve public
recognition. We must inform people, make them aware. We're only asking
for what is owed to us. I think that increasingly the public recognizes
this. Our claims are legitimate. We have a lot of people who are very
dedicated, who endure in silence, and who are much less prone to
present demands than people like me. They are entitled to wage
recognition, as well as recognition in all aspects of their work. Be it
only for them, presenting demands and fighting are worth it.
This article was published in
Number 4 - February 4, 2020
Article Link:
Interview,
Benoît Taillefer, President, Workers' Union, Health and Social
Services Centre, Bordeaux-Cartierville-Saint-Laurent (FSSS-CSN)
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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