According to the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), Mélanie Rocco faces new alleged reprisals following her initial reports of mistreatment at the CHSLD de La Prairie. The union states that the elimination of her position as module head represents the latest development in a case that previously led the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP) to file charges against Santé Québec and a former manager of the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest for alleged retaliatory actions against the whistleblower.
Background on Whistleblower Allegations and Criminal Charges
The case dates back to the spring of 2024. According to Mélanie Rocco, she learned shortly after returning from a deferred leave that an employee had witnessed a worker strike a resident a few months earlier. Rocco reported the incident to senior management, the complaints commissioner, the users’ committee, and the police after finding that an earlier report to a manager in October 2023 had yielded no action. The employee involved, Oleh Konovalov, subsequently faced charges of assault causing bodily harm.
Isabelle Bessette, a national representative for the APTS in Montérégie-Ouest, states that the deputy CEO and four other managers received reports regarding mistreatment affecting multiple patients at the facility but failed to take the matter seriously. In September 2024, Rocco received a ten-day suspension without pay from her employer. The union denounced this disciplinary action as a retaliatory measure directed at an employee who reported a situation of mistreatment.
The ongoing legal proceedings stem from infractions revealed in the fall of 2025 by Les Coops de l’information. Santé Québec faces a potential fine of $10,000, while the former manager faces a fine of $2,000. Both entered pleas of not guilty, and the judicial process remains active. This marks the first instance of infraction notices issued against a public network establishment and a manager under the anti-reprisals provisions of the Act to fight mistreatment toward seniors, which was strengthened in 2022.
Did You Know? Mélanie Rocco has 27 years of experience working at the CHSLD de La Prairie, according to data provided by the APTS en Montérégie-Ouest.
Position Elimination and Union Contestation
On July 8, the employer informed Mélanie Rocco that her role as module head at the day center of the CHSLD de La Prairie would be cut as part of a restructuring of day centers within the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest. Rocco was the sole employee of the organization to occupy such a position. The CISSS maintains that the elimination stems from a reorganization impacting multiple sectors and asserts it has no connection to any individual situation.
Isabelle Bessette of the APTS disputes this rationale, stating that abolishing Rocco’s specific post under the guise of restructuring makes no sense and raises significant questions. The union has already filed nine grievances related to the broader file and confirmed plans to contest the job elimination. The written notice provided to Rocco gave her a three-day window to exercise her bumping rights.
However, Rocco remains on medical leave. According to the APTS, her physician determined that she could not make such a critical decision within the compressed timeframe and issued a medical certificate to that effect. The employer offered no comparable positions at La Prairie, instead proposing two recreation technician posts in Huntingdon and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, or the option to bump an employee in Beauharnois. The CISSS notes that these alternatives align with the collective agreement to preserve salary and seniority.
Disputed Reorganization and Return-to-Work Delays
In a July 14 letter directed to CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest CEO Dominique Pilon, Mélanie Rocco argued that the elimination of her job serves as a continuation of the measures she has experienced since her initial disclosures. Rocco noted that prior to her deferred leave, management assured her that her position would remain secure despite the reorganization. She also pointed out that the day center achieved excellent results under her responsibility and that she contributed voluntarily to improvement initiatives for day centers elsewhere in Montérégie.
The union also argues that the handling of Rocco’s disability file contributed to delays in her return to work. Email exchanges from early 2025 reveal that Rocco requested the transfer of her file away from a health office manager due to a breakdown in trust. On March 4, 2025, her supervisor agreed that reassigning the dossier was preferable and stated that it would be handed to a lawyer from an external firm due to a lack of internal resources. Rocco maintains that the employer failed to honor this commitment and delayed her return through slow responses regarding occupational therapy treatments and a medical expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the initial investigation into the CHSLD de La Prairie?
The investigation began after Mélanie Rocco reported that a staff member allegedly struck a resident. Rocco took action after learning of the incident and discovering that an earlier report made to management in October 2023 had been ignored.
What legal actions are currently underway regarding reprisals?
The Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP) is prosecuting Santé Québec and a former CISSS manager for allegedly exercising or attempting to exercise reprisals against the whistleblower, under the anti-reprisals provisions of the Act to fight mistreatment toward seniors.
What options were given to Mélanie Rocco following the elimination of her position?
The employer offered Rocco the choice between two recreation technician positions in Huntingdon and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, or the option to exercise bumping rights against an employee in Beauharnois.
What steps will the union and management take next as the legal and labor contests proceed?
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