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According to data from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, on March 31, 2006, Quebec had 86 000 residential units with services for seniors, the vast majority of which were in for-profit private residences. It follows that this growing sector of the economy employs thousands of workers.
In recent years, the SQEES-298 (FTQ) has become the leader in unionizing private seniors residences in Quebec. We represent thousands of workers in every region of Quebec, workers devoted to the well-being of our seniors. We invest a lot of effort in improving their working conditions and having their work recognized.
Without a doubt, one of the major issues for workers is work force training. The SQEES-298 (FTQ) is a partner in projects that will help members, in particular beneficiary attendants, receive more on-the-job training.
Certification of private seniors’ residences
A DISAPPOINTING STEP BACKWARD
Montreal, Wednesday, June 20, 2012 – “After analyzing the draft bill respecting the certification of private seniors’ residences tabled by Minister Dominique Vien on May 30, we have come to the unfortunate realization that the Quebec government has taken a step backward in certain aspects of its own reform. In particular, we condemn its lack of firmness with regard to the evaluation of residents’ health status and employee training. We are asking the Minister to review her draft bill,” said Jean-Pierre Ouellet, President of the Syndicat québécois des employées et employés de service (FTQ).
Evaluation of residents’ health status
During the debate on Bill 16 respecting the certification of private residences, Minister Vien said she intended to force operators to ask applicants for places in private residences to undergo an evaluation of their level of autonomy using the Prisma-7 evaluation instrument. In the bill recently published in the Gazette officielle, this obligation is now a mere suggestion.
“We think that this is a serious step backward. While we understand that seniors have the right to refuse to undergo such an evaluation, we believe that it should nevertheless be systematically proposed. A large percentage of beneficiaries in private residences are suffering from seriously diminishing abilities and, too often, the residences are barely able to provide adequate care and services. A proper evaluation of their physical and cognitive health would ensure that they are placed in a residence in which they would benefit from the best quality of life possible. In addition, this would ensure that staff members are better informed with respect to the needs of the people they care for, which is not currently the case,” added Ouellet.
Employee training
Employee training is the cornerstone of Minister Vien’s reform. As announced, the bill imposes new training obligations on all beneficiary attendants, a policy with which the SQEES-FTQ is in full agreement.
However, the union is disappointed to note that Minister Vien has backed down under pressure from employers, who want to minimize their investment in employee training.
In the tentative draft bill made public by the Ministère in 2011, employers were obliged to take the necessary measures to facilitate employee training. That section has been revoked. Yet it is up to employers to ensure that their employees have the necessary competencies. For example, candidates must, at the least, be replaced during their training.
“If the government intends to make employees solely responsible for taking the necessary action to comply with the bill, we can already say that it will not work. How can a beneficiary attendant who earns $10.20 an hour find the time and money to undergo training without her employer’s support?” asked Ouellet.
“We are optimistic about this draft bill, hoping that it provides a better quality of life and better care for seniors living in residences. However, we are concerned that no one is considering the point of view of the employees. Workers in private residences are on the front lines with seniors every day. It is high time that we recognize their expertise and the value of their work,” added Ouellet.
The SQEES-298 (FTQ) represents members throughout Quebec, most of them in the health and social services sector. It is the largest union representing workers in private seniors’ residences in Quebec. It is affiliated with the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, the largest union central in Quebec, with more than half a million members.
MÉMOIRE SUR LE PROJET DE RÈGLEMENTLoi sur les services de santé et les services sociaux
(L.R.Q., c. S-4.2)
(Loi 16)
Conditions d'obtention d'un certificat de conformité et les
normes d'exploitation d'une résidence privée pour aînés
PRÉSENTÉ PAR
SYNDICAT QUÉBÉCOIS DES EMPLOYÉES ET EMPLOYÉS DE SERVICE, SECTION LOCALE 298 (FTQ)
18 juin 2012
Convention for employees in private residences
WORKING IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE: DEVOTION, DETERMINATION, SOLIDARITYLaval, June 18, 2009
[ Presentation by Céline Germain on the training mutual for employees in private residences ]
Document PDF
Press Release
CONVENTION FOR WORKERS IN PRIVATE RESIDENCES
An enriching meeting for our members in private residences
Montreal, Friday, June 19, 2009 – The Syndicat québécois des employées et employés de service, section locale 298 (FTQ), held a convention for its members employed in private residences in order to discuss topics of concern to them. The theme of the convention was: “Working in a private residence: Devotion, determination and solidarity.”
“We talked about training, invasive care involved in assistance with activities of daily living, and occupational health and safety. Members from every region shared their knowledge and experience, which enabled us to gain a better understanding of the problems encountered in private residences and to begin developing solutions and a plan of action,” said union President Daniel Boyer.
Invasive care involved in assistance with activities of daily living: Training and information
The question of training for beneficiary attendants was of course raised throughout the day.
“It is a key element for improving seniors’ living conditions and employees’ working conditions. Beneficiaries in private residences are becoming less and less autonomous. For example, participants at the convention mentioned that residences are taking in increasing numbers of people with cognitive disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease. It is crucial that staff members be better prepared to take care of them,” said Danielle Legault, Vice-President of Communications and Regional Affairs.
Right now, all private residences must be certified by the government. “We believe that, if the government is serious, it will use the certification process to set minimum training parameters for staff members in private residences,” added Legault.
[La création d’une mutuelle de formation]
Another major observation that came to light at the convention: employers do not appear to be particularly well informed about Bill 90 and their responsibilities.
“Employees in private residences are concerned to learn that their employer could ask them to perform tasks until now reserved for professionals. And since employees are always at the mercy of disciplinary measures, suspensions or even dismissal, they feel obliged to perform acts with which they are uncomfortable,” added Legault.
Participants quickly came to the conclusion that government authorities should make sure that employers are aware of their responsibilities and that Bill 90 is applied correctly.
Health and safety in private residences: A silent issue
Private residences are not considered a priority sector under the occupational health and social services acts. Work accidents in private residences are not as spectacular as elsewhere, but they are just as serious.
“There are a number of problems, ranging from a lack of adequate equipment and unsafe work environments to daily violence on the part of beneficiaries. We concluded that it is essential to implement structures in residences to defend members and to maintain constant dialogue with employers. We therefore recommend that every executive committee appoint a union representative to take charge of health and safety and to set up a joint committee with the employer,” said Jean‑Pierre Ouellet, Vice-President of Member Services.
Members cited workplace violence as a common and complex problem that needs to be dealt with. “The first thing to remember is that violence is never acceptable, whatever its form. We encourage all our members to record every incidence of violence in a log. This is the first step in convincing employers of the need to take action,” added Ouellet.
The SQEES-298 (FTQ) represents more than 20 000 members throughout Quebec, most of them in the health and social services sector. It is affiliated with the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, the largest union central in Quebec, with more than half a million members.
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For information:
Mélanie Malenfant
Communications and Project
Development Consultant
SQEES-298 (FTQ)
514.723.7088