12th July 2024

What’s Happening at Valley Vets?

Following Valley Vets gaining union recognition, for the first time ever, workers (vets, vet nurses and all support staff) at a private UK Veterinary Practice can collectively bargain and negotiate pay, terms and conditions via their BVU representatives.  During the collective bargaining process, on behalf of workers, union representatives entered the negotiation asking for; a reasonable pay rise for everyone, improvements in Sick Pay and Maternity Pay, that Vet Partners (owners of Valley Vets) stop increasing fees and consider reducing them, and they SAID NO TO ALL OF THEM.  Instead, Vet Partners offered its lowest-paid staff a pay rise that takes them slightly above the minimum wage, and higher-paid workers have been offered a pay increase of between 1% and 1.5% from April this year, which is, in real terms, a pay cut because of inflation. The BVU put this offer to their members in a consultative online ballot, and it was unanimously rejected with an 89% turnout. Then they voted in an online consultative ballot for industrial action, which had a turnout of 93% and 98% voting in favour. Finally, in a postal ballot for strike action, which is a legal requirement, 93% of all members of staff at Valley Vets voted, and 94% voted YES.  

What do the members want?

Fair Pay for staffFair Fees for clientsSmaller profits  As all veterinary sector employees are aware, these are lacking in a huge number of practices across the country. On the 2nd July, Vet Partners were informed that members intended to take strike action on Tuesday 16th July for 2 weeks, whilst also leaving the door open for negotiations, in the hope that an improved offer in pay and conditions would make the strike unnecessary.  Valley Vets staff do not want to strike. Industrial action is always a last resort. Vet Partners sadly refused to continue negotiations after their final offer was presented in the 2nd of 4 meetings. The union’s red lines for negotiation are modest and reasonable (not the 25% figure being thrown around) but Vet Partners did not engage to explore these at all. Unfortunately, as of the morning of the 11th July, Vet Partners have not come back to the table to negotiate with an alternative offer. Rest assured, if the strike goes ahead because Vet Partners have not made an improved and acceptable offer, emergency cover will be provided. 

How to stay up to date

If you’d like email updates on the action, you can sign up for our mailing list here. Details of strike fund donations will be released to those on this mailing list first. 

Why modest increases to staff pay and conditions do not have to cause rises in fees to clients:

1. Often productivity increases follow pay rises: it doesn’t have to be the other way around.2. Fees going up can (and have) reduced revenue because they become unaffordable, causing clients to decline treatment. Subsequently, animals do not receive treatment.3. Practice owners can choose to modestly reduce profits and reduce acquisitions, to cover any costs.