Members will vote on the offer from Oct. 15 to 17, and pressure tactics are suspended until then.
The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec, which represents more than 80,000 health-care workers including nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists, announced Tuesday it will submit a recommendation of a conciliator for a vote next month.
FIQ delegates considered the proposal Monday and Tuesday after a “last-ditch effort” intensive bargaining session on Sept. 4. After a failure to reach an agreement, the conciliator proposed his own offer to both parties. The delegates agreed to present the offer to members in a referendum, to be held from 8 p.m. Oct. 15 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17.
Members will be informed of the contents of the recommendation in general assemblies over the coming weeks. The major sticking point for the FIQ has been the government’s desire for more flexibility in moving nursing staff from one unit to another or even one health centre to another depending on staffing requirements.
“It’s the first time in the history of our organization that a negotiation sees a recommendation submitted by a conciliator,” said FIQ president Julie Bouchard.
The last FIQ contract expired March 31, 2023.
Presse Canadienne contributed to this report.