Letter to the Editor
On the Picket Lines at Saint-François d'Assise Hospital
This is the start of the seven-day strike. It's getting better and better organized in terms of keeping warm and also available clothing.
People give coats to new arrivals, Africans, Tunisians, etc. who have just started at the hospital. To one of them who was freezing and not moving, I suggested that she come in and warm up for 10 minutes, and that she could do so regularly. The people who are new don't know our ways of acting.
When I arrived at the picket line, one person said to me: "I love you, because you arrive every day with a new sign." A sign read, "Stop the destruction of the health care system," and received much approval and many took photos.
Echoing the Premier's words, today's statement said: "Unions, an obstacle to private sector health." This helps to liven up discussions, such as what is the flexibility requested by the government and what does it want to do with it? Money flow, how does the government pay the rich? The crisis of institutions, etc.
I talk about this because it is clear that people experience and feel things, but do not have the words.
Inside the hospital, many critical situations occurred this week. Let us mention that we almost lost the computer servers of the hospital network, the five hospitals and everything connected to them. The IT technicians saved the situation by installing fans, opening to the outside to circulate cold air to cool the server room a little.
Many hospital workers were happy that the disaster was averted, concerned about the damage it would have caused to the region's health system, aware of the fact that such a disaster would have served to attack unions and union members and to blame their pressure tactics.
The Premier's physical language was noted. He grimaces when something bothers him. This is seen as a good sign.
Monday, the 11th, FIQ nurses joined the Common Front unions on the strike pickets. Registration of strikers is now done in the same tent for all strikers from all unions.
I have the impression that the employer is starting to procrastinate and cheat on strike times and the work that managers must provide. This coincides with the media's sudden preoccupation with "collateral effects on patients." In other words, the pressure is beginning to be exerted on the health strikers.
Some strikers still think that there is a possibility that this will be resolved soon and that is discussed, but the contrary opinion seems to prevail. There is also concern about the exhaustion of the strike fund after 10 days, which demonstrates the first point. In two weeks, the pay will be smaller because that is when the cuts due to the strike will be reflected.
One last point. I noticed that many elderly people on foot or in cars showed their support for the strikers. And I am not the only one, another retired worker being of the same opinion said that it was bad for the CAQ if the seniors supported the strikers. They are particularly suffering from the health crisis, as well as from the pandemic.
Greetings to all public sector workers!
A reader from Quebec City
This article was published in
Number 61 - December 15, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10617.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca