Amidst a national assault on organized labor, standing with workers has never been more important. Workers at the VCA Animal Hospital in the Mission have been fighting for a fair contract in 2019. While members of the ILWU bargaining committee continue to make concessions to meet the needs of the company, VCA has dragged their feet on every issue.

Short staffing and lack of training remain contentious issues that management refuses to budge on. Doctors have been laid off in order to “handle short staffing issues” in other departments. The single on-site oncologist has accepted a position elsewhere and in response VCA is closing the department and a service which it has offered for at least 19 years instead of reinvesting in needed care.

Despite the decades-long neoliberal effort to cripple unions, workers and their allies are still resolved to tip the balance of power at VCA toward those who do the work. Over a hundred ILWU members, DSA SF comrades, Anchor workers, and Supervisor Hillary Ronen came out in solidarity with veterinary workers last Thursday, April 11th, to send this message to VCA management.

These workers deserve a fair contract – now!