ILWU’s Feed the Community Day lends a helping hand during hard times

Union Yes!: All Creatures Animal Hospital (ACAH) in Bremerton, Washington voted overwhelmingly on June 15th to form a union after the company’s new ownership team was unresponsive to workers’ concerns.

Unionizing was not the first choice for the staff of All Creatures Animal Hospital (ACAH) in Bremerton, Washington. The hospital was originally owned and operated by a beloved veterinarian. About a year ago, the hospital was sold to a Seattle-based chain of hospitals, CARA. While smaller than their behemoth corporate cousins such as VCA, BluePearl, or PetVet, their story arc is remarkably consistent:

1) local hospital sold to billionaire-backed chain;
2) workers’ wages and benefits cut;
3) workplace conditions deteriorate.

Initially, staff was assured that benefits would stay the same and the family-run atmosphere of the hospital would remain. However, less than a year into the new ownership, conditions started to change. At first, staff tried reaching out to the new owners to engage in discussions. Workers were upset about a new (and reduced) paid time off benefit and hoped that by reaching out to CARA there would be the mutual respect that had for years existed at All Creatures. Unfortunately, email after email went unanswered. Faced with the new reality of diminished benefits and an unresponsive corporate leadership structure, workers started looking for any other options to try and resolve the issue.

As with any non-unionized workplace trying to resolve issues, workers have several options. One is to throw in the towel: quit and find work elsewhere. Given the staffing crisis, the veterinary industry currently faces, finding work in another hospital in the same community would be easy. With several veterinary hospitals within just a few square miles, landing another job would be as simple as sending out an application. Veterinary technicians and support staff are in high demand. The pandemic and increased pet ownership rates have only exacerbated this situation. However, the workers of All Creatures loved their hospital. They functioned as a tight-knit family. They cared about each other and being the only exotics veterinary hospital in the area, they were able to care for a unique community of pets and pet owners. Unwilling to leave such a special place in the industry, and with the company unresponsive to staff concerns, workers set out to embark upon the only option available that forces the boss to come to the table and negotiate: unionization.

In April 2020, staff reached out to our union partner in the veterinary industry, the National Veterinary Professionals Union (NVPU). The workers had already been self-organizing and had a meeting planned with the employer so time was of the essence. NVPU reached out to ILWU Lead Organizer, Ryan Takas to discuss the campaign and very quickly a plan was hatched: ILWU and NVPU would work together to assist these workers in unionizing, negotiating a contract, and securing improvements in their workplace. Less than a week later workers marched on the boss and filed for recognition with the National Labor Relations Board.

In the weeks following, CARA followed suit of what has become standard fare in most organizing efforts: hire a union buster and avoid unionization by any means necessary. Workers were subjected to week after week of mandatory meetings where the union buster lobbed claims, accusations, and outright lies against the union, in hopes of scaring workers into voting against their own interest. Workers were told that the union would trade away their wages and benefits in exchange for securing dues; that they would have no say in their contract and would not have a place at the table. They were told if they voted union that CARA would “bargain hard” and the employer would not be in a giving mood if they chose to unionize. In a particularly odd scare tactic, workers were told that federal marshalls could come in and arrest the bargaining team. In the end, workers saw these meetings for what they were: a desperate attempt by CARA to remain in total, complete and unopposed power. Finally, on June 15th, 2020 the votes were counted and the workers of All Creatures voted 23-7 to move forward with unionizing their workplace.

At this point, with the vote firmly behind them, the bargaining unit has moved forward with preparing for negotiations. They have elected a bargaining team. They are surveying their coworkers to firm up their demands. And most importantly, they are continuing their path of care and solidarity with each other. The road to unionization is fraught with obstacles and the workers of ACAH still have a long journey ahead, but by sticking together and sticking with their union, they are off to a phenomenal start. Please welcome the newest members of the ILWU to the union! You can email them a welcome note at: acahalliance@gmail.com.

-Ryan Takas