A new labor contract covering 100 employees in a Vancouver, Washington, veterinary clinic is the first of its kind. One employee anticipates the labor contract will provide veterinary workers with protections, wage equality and establish a foothold for continued improvements in working conditions. The contract calls for:
- Base pay minimums.
- Differential pay for overnight work, seniority, additional certifications and demonstrated proficiency.
- Cost-of-living wage adjustments in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
- A “just cause” stipulation for employee termination rather than the common “at will” standard.
- Considering seniority when determining layoffs and recalls.
Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, August 2020. Link.
INSIGHTS: It is interesting that this clinic and another one referenced are part of large corporate clinic aggregation groups. Time will tell how this change works for animal health pros involved.
One has to wonder how bad the working conditions were that employees felt their only recourse was unionization.