Fight for pay equity

Dear Editor,

I am appalled at the CAQ’s discriminatory tactics whereby in a complete lack of wisdom and fairness, they decided to give pay raises to Papineau and Maniwaki based medical imaging technicians . . .

. . . While, for some peculiar reason that’s frankly unfathomable, the CAQ excluded our six excellent, hard-working medical imaging technicians at Shawville’s Pontiac Community Hospital, plus those who work in Wakefield. I am appalled and I stand by these medical imaging technicians who have been ignored.

Equal pay for equal work must be policy in Canada. And in Quebec.

But here in Quebec, fairness is not upheld in this instance.

Therefore, I am writing because I strongly object to this ill-considered decision. I urge the CAQ to immediately rectify their mistake. They must admit they were wrong, give our Shawville and the Wakefield medical imaging technicians parity with the rest of the Outaouais. And? They must assign these maligned workers full retroactive pay plus an apology.

An apology to our Pontiac communities who depend upon the excellent work of our medical imaging technicians would also be helpful.

Meanwhile, on Wed. June 19, I was at the Shawville hospital being attended to by two extremely helpful, efficient and kind medical imaging technicians. I told them I am outraged at their treatment by the CAQ, expressed that I hope they stay at our Community Hospital, and that I stand by them. I took the time to thank them for their help and their extremely sensitive assistance during my procedure.

I hope we don’t lose them.

Thank-you André Fortin and Jane Toller for advocating for our Shawville and Wakefield medical imaging technicians. We must win this fight for pay equity – and simply professional fairness.

Katharine (Howarth) Fletcher, Quyon