Union says it wasn’t consulted
By Jack Wilson
Special to The Record
In an effort to prevent overwhelming an already strained healthcare system, the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, the local health authority, presented its plan Wednesday, Feb. 22 for the coming summer. The plan aims to reduce mandatory overtime, hire 2,800 new employees and lose no more than 2,300. Though the health authority aims to maintain the current quality of service, it plans to temporarily close some sample testing centres, decrease time patients spend in hospital beds and reduce or modify other services.
Yann Belzile, the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS’ director of human resources, communications and legal affairs, reported a 40 per cent reduction in mandatory overtime in 2022. Without giving an exact figure, he said the CHUS aims to continue the trend in 2023.
Stéphanie Goulet, president of the Syndicat des professionelles en soins des Cantons-de-l’Est, the local health workers’ union, said she was happy with the reduction in mandatory overtime. She said ultimately, “our objective is no mandatory overtime.”
