Working conditions are “an animal’s living conditions”
Written by Lina Fischer, Friday, 4:02pm April 12, 2024
Photo credit: Lina Fischer
Back in 2022, Austin was beginning to notice increasingly overcrowded animal shelters when Austin Pets Alive! employees reached out. chronicle Describe in detail your dissatisfaction with your job.
They felt management disrespected them and retaliated against staff when they spoke out about poor working conditions. APA President Dr. Ellen Jefferson has argued that the aging Town Lake Animal Center is contributing to the burnout (last fall, the city and APA finally reached an agreement to improve conditions at TLAC, but capacity does not increase at all). This overcrowding crisis will continue until 2024, and apparently employee dissatisfaction is rising as well.
Last week, 200 APA employees announced they would file a union election with the National Labor Relations Board to join the National Veterinarians Union and the International Machinists and Aerospace Workers Association. APA employee Ryan Martinez said staff “knew we weren't being treated properly and it was impacting the lives of the animals.” The living conditions for our animals were not up to the standards APA strives for. ”
So what's causing the undesirable situation? “Right now, there's some disconnect in how management and staff communicate,” says Ellis Avallone, a data engineer at APA. “We want to make sure we have a codified seat at the table.” Martinez noted that employees' animal-related work is often specialized, so communication is essential. . APA's contract with the city requires it to adopt a certain number of animals with behavioral or medical issues from the city shelter each month. “Fundamentally, we recognize that the people who work with animals should have a say in how we interact with animals.”
The union's move has support from Councilor Zo Kadri and the House of Representatives. Greg Cassar However, no voluntary approval has been obtained from APA management. In a petition gathering support from the community, the union wrote: [Austin Pets Alive! Workers Union] Management wants to remain neutral while employees exercise their right to form a union. ”
“At the end of the day, our working conditions are the animals' living conditions,” Avallone said.
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