Paramedics who are members of unions affiliated with the CSN have ultimately rejected the tentative agreement reached to renew their collective bargaining agreements. They are therefore resuming their pressure tactics.
The overall vote by these unions—part of the la Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS), affiliated with the CSN—shows that 71.6 per cent rejected the agreement.
There are approximately 3,300 members across several paramedic and emergency medical technician unions, including those at Urgences-santé, which serves Montreal and Laval.
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The tentative agreement had been reached following an intensive round of negotiations held from July 20 to 25.
The strike is therefore resuming. However, it is largely invisible to the public, since the vast majority of the tasks performed by these paramedics are considered essential services. The pressure tactics actually adopted by the paramedics involved, for example, the supervision of trainees.
“Given the rejection of the tentative agreement, all pressure tactics will resume immediately,” the prehospital sector stated in a message to its members published on Thursday.
These collective bargaining agreements expired on March 31, 2023—at the same time as those for all government employees.
The FSSS is one of the labor unions representing paramedics. Earlier this month, members of the Fraternité des travailleurs et travailleuses du préhospitalier—a local chapter of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with the FTQ—also rejected their agreement by a margin of 92 per cent.
The dispute centres primarily on wages. According to the union, other issues are also in dispute, such as bonuses, part-time work, and retirement.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
