Outaouais emergency medical dispatchers launch indefinite strike

Taylor Clark

Emergency medical dispatchers working for the Centre de communication santé de l’Outaouais have been on an indefinite strike since June 14.

On behalf of 22 union members, the Fédération des employés du préhospitalier du Québec was seeking improvements to salary and vacation time.

Union affairs agent Stéphane Rainville said the strike was unavoidable since the government was unwilling to waver from its position after 10 negotiation sessions.

“We are currently seeking equity with the public sector. Currently, the Government of Québec has provided offers with the public sector,” said Rainville. “Then we want the same thing in terms of vacations and salary. Currently, the government only offers us salary and not vacation time.”

The indefinite strike was triggered just two months after the previous 14-month strike wrapped up in April. Emergency medical dispatchers from Outaouais joined others in Laurentides and Lanaudière on strike in late January of 2023 after their employment contract expired in March 2022 and negotiations lagged.

“We must put pressure on the Ministry to be able to move the negotiation forward.”

An agreement on essential services maintained in the event of a strike was reached between the Fédération des employés du préhospitalier du Québec and the Centre de communication santé de l’Outaouais in early May. The Tribunal administratif du travail later found the agreement terms “sufficient so that the public health or safety (was) not put in danger during the strike.”

During the strike, the emergency medical dispatchers would continue to respond to all calls received as well as allocating and distributing available prehospital resources. The administration side of things was expected to take a hit as the agreement listed modified tasks or ones that would not be performed altogether like punching in or repairing system breakdowns.

If essential services were to be disrupted, the Tribunal required both parties to work together to find a solution quickly. If they fail to do so, the Tribunal will step in to provide the necessary assistance.

Photo caption: Twenty-two emergency medical dispatchers are striking to put pressure on the Government of Québec to provide better pay and working conditions.

Photo credit: Fédération des employés du préhospitalier du Québec Website