16 Jul 2024
Services are being disrupted after workers began two weeks of walkouts amid no sign of a breakthrough in resolving the dispute.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Staff at a south Wales practice group have begun two weeks of strike action today (16 July), in the first case of its kind within the veterinary sector.
Although emergency cover is being provided during the walkout by Valley Vets workers, bosses say branch practices and referral services have been closed by the stoppage.
There also appears to be little sign of an end to the dispute, after union officials warned further action may follow without a resolution.
British Veterinary Union (BVU) members voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action last month in a dispute over pay and conditions.
In a statement released to coincide with the start of the walkouts, Valley Vets said it was “disappointed” at the failure to reach an agreement and had negotiated “in good faith”.
But it also claimed the union’s demands would make the VetPartners-owned group “unsustainable” without significant job losses.
The statement continued: “Our priority is the welfare of the animals that we care for, while providing our teams with job security.
“As a responsible business, we are committed to sustainably improving terms and conditions, including pay, for our team members – particularly in light of what is happening within other veterinary groups with the difficult news of widespread redundancies recently announced in the veterinary press.”
But the BVU, which is a branch of Unite, said the group’s offer amounted to a real-terms pay cut and accused them of engaging in “pure corporate greed”.
The union has set up a strike fund to support the workers who are taking action and has previously claimed that 80% of Valley Vets staff are having to regularly borrow money to meet basic living costs, with 5% also reporting using food banks.
It has also alleged that its attempts to re-open negotiations have been rejected or ignored.
Speaking ahead of the strike, Unite regional officer Paul Seppman said: “Valley Vets and VetPartners are entirely responsible for the disruption that will be caused. These workers are being forced to strike over poverty pay and this hugely wealthy company’s refusal to pay a living wage and provide reasonable terms and conditions.”
Around 100 staff are estimated to be taking part in the present walkouts, which are due to continue until 30 July.
