There is great anxiety in Quebec's health and social care sector.
One union is still not in agreement in principle, while another has refused to sign the agreement, citing discrepancies in the wording.
Additionally, protesters gathered at the foot of Montreal's Jacques-Cartier Bridge on Monday to voice concerns about Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé's health care reform legislation (Bill 15), which would create the new Santé Québec agency.
“We want people to know us and we want the government to know that the people do not want an expansion of the private sector in health care,” said Hugo Vaillancourt of the Solidarity Health Coalition.
The coalition claims the government is trying to centralise the health network but that it is not working.
“If this is the solution, the system should be better, because we've been doing it for 20 years,” Vaillancourt said.
The MUHC (Montreal University Health Centre) Patient Committee says the biggest challenge facing the network is a lack of access to family doctors and primary care.
“Access to services is a big challenge and of course we don't see anything in the reforms that directly addresses these issues, so we're all concerned,” said Ingrid Covic, chair of the MUCH patient committee.
In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Health said it is “simply not true” that Saint-Quebec is opening its doors to the private sector.
“With Santé Québec's help, we will gain talent with strong and complementary backgrounds who will bring a fresh perspective to implement necessary reforms,” the ministry said.
Monday's unrest is nothing new.
On Saturday, several unions, including the FIQ, demonstrated outside the CAQ convention.
The Quebec Federation of Health Professionals (FIQ) members voted against Quebec's proposal, so there is still no agreement in principle.
The federation is calling for improved working conditions and wages.
“The government must reach a collective bargaining agreement that respects Quebecers' ability to pay, is fair to other union members and delivers quality health care,” finance committee president Sonia Lebel said, but added that “flexibility” on the part of the unions had allowed “a balanced agreement with a common front to be reached.”
Patient advocates are urging the two sides to reach an agreement to avoid skilled workers leaving and the quality of care declining.
