The shortage of nurses is glaring in Quebec’s public health services. Long wait times, closed emergency rooms, avoidable deaths1… In a context where the needs of the aging population are constantly increasing, the situation is worrying. It is therefore urgent that measures aimed at attracting and retaining nurses in the public network be implemented to ensure safe care.
Despite the shared interest in increasing the nursing workforce, a recent decision by the Ministry of Health and Social Services discourages nursing succession.
For years, various CISSSs and CIUSSSs have been promising level 7, or approximately $33 per hour, to newly graduated clinical nurses with no previous experience. The different interpretations of the collective agreement led to the application of this practice, which nevertheless made it possible to ensure the attractiveness of the public health sector2, 3. Today, the CAQ government is asking that these nurse clinicians start at the entry level, at $27 per hour4. It goes without saying that this starting salary in no way reflects their years of university studies and their professional responsibilities.
In Canada, Quebec is the province that pays its new nurses the least. Newfoundland and Labrador offers the second lowest wage at $33.64 per hour, which represents a difference of nearly $15,000 annually. However, Quebec remains first for the number of steps to reach the salary cap with a number of 18. Thus, the nurse starting at step 1 must work 14 years full time before reaching the maximum salary.
It is therefore not surprising to note the increase in the number of nurses who leave the public system to work in the private sector or in other provinces in search of recognition of their contribution and a representative salary from the start of their career. In the past year, private healthcare employment agencies have grown by 19%6. It seems unrealistic to us to think about stopping their use, while decisions that are inconsistent with the attraction and retention of new nurses in the public sector are still being made. The government wishes to be considered an employer of choice and, to do so, we believe that it must be able to recognize the contribution of all nurses as soon as they join the network.
Until the government meets the expectations of nurses in terms of their salaries and working conditions, the outflow of nurses from the health sector will only increase.
Today, we are asking Minister Sonia LeBel to consider, during her negotiations, placing the initial salary of baccalaureate nurses at the seventh level, or adjusting the scale for equivalent remuneration, in order to encourage them to start in the public health network and stay there.
Today, we are asking Minister Eric Girard to ensure a salary increase for nurses in the provincial budget.
Today, we ask the Ministry of Health and Social Services to recognize our years of university studies at their fair value.
Today, we are asking the government of the Coalition avenir Québec to act for the future of our members and for the health of the population.
