Bonuses equalized for Outaouais imagery techs

Bonuses equalized for Outaouais imagery techs

On Saturday (september 7) Health Minister Christian Dubé announced that the government would be equalizing the bonuses offered to medical imagery technicians in Outaouais health facilities.

“After reviewing the information received, we need to avoid a break in service at the hospitals in Shawville and Maniwaki,” he wrote (translated).

The news comes on the heels of the union representing the imagery techs, the APTS, announcing last week that they government had refused to equalize the amounts paid to techs in the regional hospitals of the Outaouais, Pontiac, Maniwaki and Wakefield. They had initially been offered $18,000 annual bonuses over the next two years, compared to $22,000 for those in the city hospitals.

The saga of technologist bonuses began in the spring, when they were initially offered to techs in the Hull and Gatineau hospitals before smaller bonuses were offered to those in the rest of the region over the course of the summer, due to concerns about staff leaving for facilities where the bonuses were higher. Five of the six full-time techs at the Pontiac Hospital have applied to work elsewhere, but it’s unclear how many will actually leave.

Pontiac MNA André Fortin was positive about the change, but added that it was only a start.

“We had to fight, but we got it done! However, it is only the start,” he wrote. “Equity within the region has to be maintained. And the overall issue still needs to be addressed, salaries. Salaries that rival Ontario’s is at the heart of the solution to offer more stable quality healthcare to our region.”

Jean Pigeon, spokesperson for advocacy group SOS Outaouais, said that while it’s a small victory, it’s only a short-term fix to a long-term problem.

CHIP 101.9 will be speaking with CISSSO representative Nicole Boucher Larivière later this week to learn more about the Pontiac Hospital’s situation.