On December 5, 2024, the FIQ and the government signed the new 2024-2028 collective agreement. This step officially marked the end of the collective negotiations and the coming into force of your new provincial collective agreement. The new collective agreement went into effect on December 15. 2024.
You have a crucial role to play in the success of this step. You are the eyes and ears of your union representatives who will ensure that the employer applies the different gains obtained.
Also, in certain situations, you will have actions to take to gain access to the new working conditions, as applicable.
New salary scales and retroactive salary
The negotiated salary increases are retroactive to April 1, 2023.
For information purposes, here are the dates the payments should have been paid (please note that pay periods vary between institutions):
Adjustment of the salary scales and premiums: on or around January 23, 2025.
Retroactive salary and salary adjustment on existing premiums in the previous collective agreement, monetary compensation, supplements expressed as percentages, overtime and the allowances in Article 19 of the 2021-2023 collective agreement: on or around February 20, 2025.
Other premiums negotiated retroactive to December 15, 2024: the work is still underway
Payment of the critical periods premium which went into effect on December 15, 2024: on or around January 23, 2025
Between April 1, 2023 and December 15, 2024, a salary adjustment (retroactive) was applied, which includes:
- The adjustment between the current salary and new salary (includes people covered by QPIP, CNESST, IVAQ, and SAAQ, as well as people who worked during the time covered and who resigned or retired);
- The adjustment on premium(s) received on the current salary versus the salary adjustment from point 1;
- The overtime rate adjustment received on the current salary versus the salary adjustment from point 1;
- The lump sum adjustment for a licensed practical nurse (versus beneficiary attendants) received based on the current salary versus the salary adjustment from point 1.
Coming into force of provisions unrelated to salary
With some exceptions, the new provincial provisions of the collective agreement went into effect on December 15, 2024.
These working conditions include transitional measures:
The number of annual vacation days is increased starting from the 15th year of service, allowing healthcare professionals to obtain a 5th week of vacation after 19 years of service instead of after the previously required 25 years. These annual vacation days are gradually acquired starting from the 15th year of service.
If you have more than 15 years of service, you will have a right to additional days for the annual vacation period underway (2024-2025).
Transitional measure: For the annual vacation period underway (2024-2025), the employer must do its utmost to grant them between now and April 30, 2025, according to some conditions. If it proves impossible to grant these annual vacation days, they can be carried over to the next year (2025-2026).
From now on, the employer reimburses incumbents of a full-time position 50% of their permit with the OIIQ, OIIAQ and OPIQ, up to a maximum of $400 per year.
Transitional measure: For the year 2024-2025, the permit will be reimbursed on a prorata basis between December 15, 2024 and the permit expiry, on March 31, 2025.
The employer’s annual contribution to the health insurance plan is increased by $150 for an individual insured, and by $300 for an insured who has dependents.
The employer’s contribution to group insurance has been increased starting from the paycheque following the 45th day after the signing of the collective agreement.
From now on it is possible, upon agreement with the employer and with over six months prior notice, to extend the initial progressive retirement agreement for a minimum of 12 months. Despite any extension, the total duration of the agreement cannot exceed seven years.
Transitional measure: For those who started a progressive retirement and whose early retirement agreement was due to end before March 31, 2025, you can request an extension without having to give the six months’ notice.
From now on, there is a unique process for recognizing seniority in the health and social services network (RSSS) that was lost when changing institutions within the RSSS. It’s possible to get your accumulated seniority recognized if more than one year hasn’t passed between the two jobs.
Please also take a look at the section Different processes regarding seniority.
For part-time employees who have a position with an evening or night component or who work for the most part after 2 pm and who in the last 12 months offered and respected for the most part a minimum 16/28 availability, there is a voluntary position upgrade process. However, the upgrade process can only happen once.
The employer has 60 days to offer to upgrade your position to 8/14 or 9/14 and as such allow you to keep the increased premium rates for evenings or nights from the previous collective agreement, as long as you remain in this position.
Part-time employees who currently have this type of position will also be able to keep the premium rates they currently have.
Double time for overtime on weekends has applied since December 15, 2024, in the following situations:
- Working in a centre of activities where services are provided twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week, during a full shift of overtime;
- For a minimum of four (4) hours of overtime, for an employee whose regular workday is 11.25 hours, when these overtime hours are worked immediately before or after these hours.
To be eligible, the part-time or full-time employee must meet the following conditions:
- A) after having worked the number of hours set out for their job title (i.e., have worked 37.5 hours in their workweek at the regular rate)
- B) if the employee followed their schedule of seven (7) days before and seven (7) days after the overtime shift.
The following cannot be considered as absences demonstrating that the employee did not follow their schedule:
- Annual scheduled vacation;
- Statutory holidays;
- Union leaves;
- Conversion of premiums into time off;
- Scheduled days off for the purposes of organization of work time or specific agreements;
- Floating holidays;
- Parental leave days, including medical visits for a pregnancy;
- Personal leaves stipulated in the collective agreement.
Different processes regarding seniority
There are two processes concerning seniority in the collective agreement in Letter of Understanding No. 32.
In both situations, the collective agreement stipulates that the employee is responsible for providing documentation for the seniority recognition process. However, measures have been put in place to facilitate the process.
Situation 1 – Recognition of seniority lost after changing institutions in the RSSS
It is a unique process that will take place six months following the Santé Québec merger (on or around May 31, 2025).
An employee who lost seniority by changing institutions in the RSSS, and for whom no more than one year has passed between the two jobs, will be able to have their lost seniority recognized.
First, the employee must give their consent in order for the employer to take an inventory of their previous jobs and seniority. You do not have to contact institutions you worked for. Next, the employer will provide each employee with a report listing their previous jobs and seniority.
Before May 31, 2025, the employee will have to make sure the report is accurate. If it is not, the employee can send a request for a correction to their employer. In this case, the employee will have to show the seniority they acquired with their previous network employers.
Situation 2 – Recognition of seniority for independent labour hired in the RSSS
It is a unique process that will take place six months following the merger of Santé Québec (on or around May 31, 2025).
An employee who worked for an employment agency or as independent labour could have their seniority recognized for the time they worked in RSSS institutions between March 13, 2020 and their hire date in the RSSS, between March 19, 2024, and May 31, 2025, inclusively.
The employer will soon communicate with the employees in question to send them the steps to take.
If you have any questions, please talk to your local union representatives. They are there to answer your questions and support you in the deployment of this new collective agreement.
