DEBORAH POWELL
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
SHAWVILLE – The anger, incomprehension and frustration of local citizens groups and elected officials was clearly expressed in two press conferences held June 13 and 14 at the Pontiac Community Hospital following a government announcement excluding medical imaging technicians here and at the Wakefield Hospital from receiving a bonus aimed at keeping technicians at their current institutions. The situation is indeed dire, as the loss of imaging capacity would result in the closure of operating rooms and could even force the closure of the hospital itself.
In May, the Quebec government came to an agreement with the Professional and Technical Health and Social Services Staff Alliance (APTS), offering a $22,000 per year bonus to medical imaging technicians at the Hull and Gatineau Hospitals in an effort to stem the exodus to Ontario where payrates are higher. The agreement is for two years and technicians had to commit to work an additional two and a half hours per week to qualify. In addition, they will receive a 10% salary increase for the summer months when maintaining adequate staff levels is challenging due to vacations.
Following this announcement, a number of technicians at the hospitals in Buckingham and Maniwaki made clear their intentions to apply for the job vacancies in the city hospitals, where technicians had already announced their departure for Ontario. In an effort to counter the exodus from the outlying hospitals, the government announced on Wednesday, June 12, that the bonuses would be extended to medical imaging technicians in Buckingham and Maniwaki but not to those in Wakefield and Shawville.
“It appears that the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) has understood nothing at all,” said Liberal MNA, André Fortin during a press conference held Thursday at the Shawville Hospital.
“They are fixing last month’s mistake by making the same one again. For the technicians in Wakefield and Shawville, it is disrespectful; for the health care of the population, it is irresponsible; and, in sum, the decision is incomprehensible,” he concluded.
Jane Toller, also present Thursday, along with several Pontiac mayors, expressed her shock at the exclusion of Pontiac and Wakefield from the bonus agreement. “It’s true that we have loyal workers in Shawville, but they expect to be paid the same as those in Hull and Gatineau,” she said, adding that there is competition for medical personnel with at least three Ontario hospitals – Pembroke, Renfrew and Ottawa.
At another press conference held Friday outside the Shawville Hospital, Pontiac Voice spokesperson Josey Bouchard expressed her frustration: “The decision must be reversed so that technicians anywhere in the Outaouais have access to this bonus. That is non-negotiable. It doesn’t make sense (to do otherwise).” Pontiac Voice has been speaking out since 2016 on the need for better health services in the area.
Jean Pigeon, from the new SOS Outaouais coalition advocating for health and social services, echoed the exasperation of all those concerned and went a step further saying: “A bonus isn’t enough. We need to have salaries competitive with those of Ontario. Without that, we’re just putting off the problem for a couple of years.”
Sophie Pieschke, an imaging technician currently on maternity leave, was also present at the event with her baby. “I find this (decision) unfair and disgusting. It doesn’t make sense… We, as technicians, feel that the government is not giving us any recognition for our work with the population,” she told Radio Canada. Pieschke admitted she would have to think carefully about whether she would return to work in Quebec if the situation does not improve.
Photo – MNA André Fortin and Pontiac Warden Jane Toller expressed their frustration with the provincial government’s failure to include Shawville and Wakefield medical imaging technicians in a retainment deal. (BJ)