Blood drives are being held despite strike action by one Héma-Québec's union

MONTRÉAL, July 6, 2022 /CNW/ - Héma-Québec is asking blood donors to come to blood drive sites today during the one-day strike organized by one union affiliated with the Syndicat du personnel infirmier d'Héma-Québec (CSQ-SPI). Héma–Québec reminds that all scheduled blood drives are part of essential services and that 1,000 blood donations are required every day to meet the needs of hospitals.

Héma-Québec points out that negotiation meetings are continuing in active mode, the most recent on Monday, July 4. "In recent weeks, the employer proposed to the SPI-CSQ to proceed with negotiations in accelerated mode in order to reach an agreement before the summer. This proposal was refused by the SPI-CSQ, unlike all the other unions, including the Québec City nurses' union. The employer presented offers comparable to those of the health network. The Québec City nurses, who are affiliated with another union, unanimously accepted the employer's proposal following an agreement in principle reached on June 23," said Roselyne Zombecki, Vice President, People, Culture and Leadership.

Héma-Québec wishes to clarify that donors are expected at blood drives held daily in Québec. The organization reminds of its vital and essential mission to provide a sufficient quality and quantity of blood products to Québec patients. In this spirit, it is important that blood drives be fully accessible to blood donors, in accordance with the definition of essential services whose interruption could endanger the health or safety of the population. Héma-Québec assures the public that it will take every possible measure to avoid any negative impact on the blood supply, which could put patient's lives at risk. 

About Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec's mission is to efficiently meet the Québec population's needs for blood and other high-quality biological products of human origin. Héma-Québec has 1,500 employees, nearly 255,000 donors of blood, plasma, stem cells, mothers' milk and human tissue, as well as thousands of volunteers at blood drive sites. Héma-Québec delivers nearly 820,000 human-derived biological products to Québec hospitals every year to meet patients' needs.

SOURCE Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec, Media line | 514 832-0871, www.hema-quebec.qc.ca