Striking health-care workers rip Quebec’s new health system reform bill

Striking public sector medical workers are expressing skepticism about Quebec's new health care reform bill, which passed after a vote at the National Assembly Saturday morning.

With hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers on strike and tens of thousands more set to join them on Monday, Quebec’s labour conflict with health-care workers, teachers and others is still at an impasse.

Health union representatives ripped into the government’s most recent rhetoric on Sunday, and expressed deep concerns about the just-passed health reform law.

“It’s completely going to destabilize the health-care system.  There’s a reason why no one thinks it’s a good idea,” said Jessica Goldschleger, FP-CSN vice president.

Bill 15 was adopted by the National Assembly early Saturday morning after CAQ Health Minister Christian Dubé fast-tracked it by invoking closure, abruptly ending debate over the 1,200-article legislation.

“I don’t think it’s acceptable. It’s anti-democratic. There’s absolutely no consensus around this bill,” Goldschleger said of the government invoking closure to pass it.

The health minister is convinced his legacy-defining transformation of the public health system will make life better for patients. He says it will give them easier access and render the network more flexible.

The bill creates a new agency called Santé Quebec that will be the sole employer and manager of all health employees.

“It’s up to my team to prove this big change that we have been able to vote through will make a big difference in the life of Quebecers,” Dubé said on Saturday.