Quebec medical specialists offer truce

Quebec medical specialists have called a truce in theirwork conflict, promising to cease all pressuretactics as long as certain conditions are met and the health minister is accepting the offer.

Dr. Gatan Barrette, head of Quebec's Federation of Medical Specialists, made the offer after Health Minister Philippe Couillard issued a noon Wednesday deadline for them to drop their pressure tactics or face consequences, including possible legal action.

"We are offering this truce so we can, in the near future, be able to come together in front of our general assembly with a definitive proposal, that will be satisfactory to both parties," Barrette said.

Under the truce, specialists will resume leading hospital rotations with senior-year medical students starting in January, Barrette said. Specialists also accept Quebec's financial framework for salary increases, which includes a 15 per cent wage increase over the next seven years.

The specialists also agreed to mediation, but rejected Quebec's request to name a mediator.

Couillard spoke briefly with reporters over the Wednesday noon hour, saying he acceptedthe truce, but saidit's time the two sidessat down and signed an agreement to end the labour dispute.

Couillard had issued the ultimatum Tuesday as negotiations continued to stagnate.

Despite the truce, doctors still want to see Bill 37 repealed legislation that physicians consider odious, becauseit imposes a work contract and labour conditions on the province's 8,000 medical specialists.

The doctors turned up the heat this fall to voice discontent abouta salary gap that sees Quebec specialists earning an average $233,000 a year, two-thirds the Canadian average of $343,000.

The wage gap galvanized discontent among Quebec doctors and pushed them to adopta series of pressure tactics,includingthe boycott ofhospital rotations thatput hundreds of fourth-year medical studentsat risk oflosing their academic year.

Some universities, including l'Universit de Montral, cancelled student hospital rotations because so many teaching hours were missed this fall.

Doctors also threatened to stop delivering babies in January.

Quebec's Essential Services Council ordered the doctors Dec. 8 to cease their job action because it wasrisking public safety.

Barrette said he is meeting with federation members on Thursday nightto discuss the province's latest offer.