Paramedics who are members of unions affiliated with the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) have rejected their tentative agreement. The vote by unions with the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS), affiliated with the CSN, shows a 71.6 per cent rejection rate. There are approximately 3,300 members across several paramedic unions, including those at Urgences-santé, which serves Montreal and Laval. The tentative agreement was reached following an intensive round of negotiations from July 20 to 25. The paramedics’ collective bargaining agreements expired on March 31, 2023, at the same time as those for all government employees. The FSSS is one of the labour organizations representing paramedics. Earlier this month, members of the Fraternité des travailleurs et travailleuses du préhospitalier, a local chapter of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), also rejected their agreement by a margin of 92 per cent. The dispute centres primarily on wages. According to the union, other issues are also in dispute, such as bonuses, part-time work and retirement. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 20, 2026.
