Interview, Jeff Begley, President, Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN)Health and social service workers are highly critical of the actions and inaction of the Quebec government and the Minister of Health in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, they criticize the measures taken in the April 4 ministerial order, particularly on the issue of bonuses granted to workers in the sector. Here is an interview conducted on April 6 by Workers' Forum with Jeff Begley, the President of the Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN) in which he gives us the federation's point of view on these issues. Workers' Forum: According to the FSSS-CSN, the ministerial order of April 4 does not meet the expectations of health and social services workers. Can you tell us more? Jeff Begley: It doesn't meet our expectations, first of all with regard to premiums. All employees in the health and social services network receive a four per cent bonus, and people in units where COVID-19 is present receive eight per cent. We do not agree with this two-tier approach. It is all employees in the health and social services network who are under constant pressure during this crisis, in all job titles. The premium should be the same for everyone. In our opinion, premiums are an important gesture to show that we recognize that workers are on the front lines and that they are doing their duty with brilliance. That is not going to get us through this crisis together, but it is an important gesture of recognition. We also do not agree that the bonus should be a percentage. We demanded a $3 per hour bonus for everyone. If we take the highest paid network staff, an 8 per cent bonus will represent about $4.50 an hour. For the lowest paid, such as maintenance workers and orderlies, it will be about $1.60 an hour. Yet they work in the same room, they work together, the risk is the same for both. In our opinion, it would be better to give a premium that is a fixed amount, but the government has decided otherwise. The other major problem, which is paramount, is that of protective equipment. We recognize that the entire network had to be reorganized in a matter of days. It was a colossal task. Clearly, we were not prepared for a crisis like that, as we should have been. We have to learn lessons for the future. In the emergencies, in the units reserved for COVID-19, we now have the equipment we need. The problem was in the long-term care centres (CHSLDs) -- we were not ready at all. Even today, there are still centres where we do not yet have all the necessary equipment. Because of this, some staff members have contracted the virus and given it to their families, other staff members and vulnerable seniors. There is some catch-up being done at the moment, but in the past few weeks it has been a serious problem. WF: The FSSS has presented five main demands to the government. Have these demands been met? JB: As we speak, not at all. There hasn't been any listening so far. Our five demands are: that work uniforms be provided and maintained; a limitation on moving workers between sites; maintaining the whole compensation regime when workers are moved; maintaining compensation in situations of isolation; establishment of a safe transportation system to limit the spread of the virus. For example, many low-wage earners cannot afford to pay parking fees at the facilities. They take public transit or carpool. We have asked that in this time of pandemic, when keeping distances between people is more important than ever, parking fees be eliminated for the period of the health emergency. There are institutions that have done this on their own initiative. We have asked that the government enact it everywhere. It did not agree. Also, not all employees have cars. We have asked that employers contract with taxi companies so that at shift changes, taxis will bring and take employees home at the employers' expense. This was not accepted. We have to make sure that people who are in isolation are paid as if they were at work. This measure exists, but it is not the same everywhere, it is not applied everywhere. The government has not given the instruction to the whole system. It has to. We are also asking that during this social emergency, since we have laundry facilities everywhere that have a fairly large capacity, that people be allowed to leave their uniforms at work when they finish their shift. They would be washed and maintained according to the rules of the trade. This is a safety measure to prevent employees from taking the virus home in case they contract it. The department says it will do this when possible, but we are asking that the directive be given for the entire network. There is an improvement with respect to limiting moving workers from one site to another. This is particularly important for the long-term care centres because seniors are very vulnerable. Measures to limit travel between sites must include everyone, including part-timers, casuals and people on recall lists. Faced with all these demands, nothing has been accepted. The government is not saying that it is refusing. It is saying that it is going to let the employers manage the measures. We want the government to enact these measures for the entire network. The most important thing in all of this is health and safety. Because our members are on the front lines, they are disproportionately infected with the virus in relation to the population as a whole. We are calling for an increase in testing for the disease throughout the network. In conclusion, I would like to express my deepest admiration for all the staff of the network. The employees consider it their mission to protect the population, but for this to be possible, working conditions must exist at the required level.
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