The union claims that the health network’s situation is very fragile and that the risk of a permanent disruption in services looms over the region due to serious staff shortages.

According to FIQ-SISSAT, the cancellation of a hundred nursing positions is planned for September because there is a lack of staff to fill them.

The union’s president, Jean-Sébastien Blais, has no hesitation in describing the government’s results as disastrous.

We’ve been sounding the alarm about the shortage of medical professionals since 2020, he recalls. Back then, we were short of 250 nurses and now we are at 350. The government has never accepted and understood the extent to which Abitibi-Témiscamingue is going through a storm. Through this denial, he has taken no action to stem the bleeding and allow the tide to be reversed.

FIQ-SISSAT welcomes certain initiatives such as accelerated training, international recruitment and grants for nursing assistants. But the union also thinks Quebec needs to go further as the region would need to hire 500 new nurses over the next five years.

A necessary plan

The FIQ estimates that a $25 million contingency plan is needed for the region to improve specific responses and implement new solutions.

We propose short-term things, such as maintaining double-time overtime, which can allow the services to be kept open, specifies Jean-Sébastien Blais. We also want bursaries for nurses, weekend work incentives and job retention grants in certain sectors such as La Sarre and Senneterre. We also consider it necessary to set up innovative timetable projects.

Firm commitments desired

The union does not want to position itself for one or the other party in the election campaign, but wants to throw the ball into the field for all candidates.

We want to sit down with them to present our plan with solutions adapted to the region. Every candidate must recognize how difficult it is to attract and retain a workforce. We are in collaborative mode, but we want to feel political will and hope that our candidates will make firm commitments during the campaign.concludes Mr. Blais.