Quebec's largest nursing union announces tentative contract deal with government

Quebec's largest nurses' union, theFdration interprofessionnelle de la sant du Qubec (FIQ), announced Tuesday it has reached a tentative contractdeal with the provincial government.

Union president Julie Bouchard made the announcement in a statement.

"After 16 months of negotiations, eight days of strikes and several mobilization actions and demonstrations it will now be up to [members] to evaluate the work done at the negotiating table," she said.

The proposed agreement will be presented to FIQ union representatives at its federal council between Tuesday and Thursday.

If they approve, the deal will be submitted to the membership for a vote.

The FIQ, which represents some 80,000nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists, is not part of the so-called common front of public sector unions, which reached its own deal at the start of the year.

No details have yet been released about the new tentative agreement.