Quebec underpaid women in health care for years. They’re still waiting for equity payments

Quebec agreed to pay out class 3 administration health-care workers who were historically underpaid, and employees are still waiting. (Graham Hughes / The Canadian Press)

Natasha Clery left the MUHC last December after working at the Montreal hospital for more than 20 years – but months later, she says she’s still waiting on thousands of dollars that she has been owed for a decade.

Clery is one of hundreds of health-care administration workers waiting on the government for equity payments relating to gender parity complaints dating back to the early 2010s.

“[The government] themselves have done a verification that we were underpaid,” said Clery.

“[They] told us, guess what? Your jobs have been held by women historically, sorry, but we’ve just figured out that we’ve been paying you less than most of your counterparts. Ladies, we owe you some money. We’ll let you know when you get it.”

An agreement between Quebec’s Health Ministry and several unions, including CSN-affiliated SECUSM, signed in 2023 bound the government to pay out class 3 employees for gender equity by October 2024. That included retroactive pay from Dec. 31, 2010, plus interest.

Class 3 employees work in administration.

According to the union, workers who are eligible for these payments are entitled to anywhere between $5,300 plus interest and $20,700 plus interest.

But that money is now almost six months late.

Clery said she lost faith in the government, the union and her former employer.

“We’re talking about a decade’s worth of salary that you’re still, to this day, holding on to,” she said.

“When you’re 50 years of age and still feel like after you’ve raised two children, that you’re below the poverty line, it’s ridiculous.”

She said salary and working conditions pushed her to leave the MUHC and pursue other opportunities.

SECUSM President Shiaman Diawara said the government pointed to issues with third-party companies in charge of payroll, but it promised the payments would roll in as of April.

Earlier in March, a memorandum from the MUHC, consulted by CTV News, announced employees would soon start receiving retroactive pay starting in 2012, but the agreement provided payment as of 2010. The union said this additional readjustment added to the delays.

The union believed the transition to Santé Québec, launched in January, would accelerate the process, “but nothing changed,” said Diawara.

“The government did not respect its engagement,” he said. “We know people are upset; they’ve been waiting for this money for a long time.”

“They’ve been underpaid since 2010, it’s their money … and keep in mind in the health-care system, we’re not paid much.”

Though he is encouraged by the government’s latest assurance that the payments will come through in April, Diawara said it’s possible there will be more delays.

Santé Québec did not confirm the payments would start in April, but spokesperson Lisa Fiset said the organization understands “the situation is frustrating for network staff who are awaiting agreed-upon payments.”

“The payroll providers are delivering the final elements needed for the establishments to process the pay equity. This work is complex and time consuming,” Fiset said in a statement. “The establishments are working at an accelerated pace, so that payments can be made in the coming weeks.”

But the union is still frustrated, saying the government hasn’t provided detailed calculations on the payments to members.

“It’s unacceptable … we need it to know how [each payment] is calculated, on what hours they’re based on,” said Diawara.