CUPE, representing close to 5000 members with the Montreal-West Island CUISSS, condemns the unilateral changes made to the schedules of about 100 employees. On January 29, the employer extended the hours for hygiene, sanitation and laundry staff at St Mary’s Hospital and at the Grace Dart Extended Care Centre by 30 minutes.
This change has created headaches for many employees who work a second job or who have to pick up their children after work.
“You have to wonder whether this drastic schedule change is concealing other more alarming changes in the works. In any event, it is extremely unfortunate that at a time of staff shortages, the management of the CUISSS are making decisions of this magnitude without having proper consultations with the workers and discussing the issue with the union. If we want to overcome these shortages, we have to address the personnel constraints and find solutions as partners,” commented Fanny Demontigny, president of CUPE 2881.
“Unfortunately, this incident shows that the employer’s collaboration with the union is either scant or non-existent. There are so many problems to be resolved in the institution that we can’t afford to have such poor labour relations,” she added.