About.

We are veterinary support staff - just like our members.  We are dedicated to supporting other staff members in their efforts to create positive change in their workplaces. 

Established in 2017

We began this union with a dream of making veterinary support a sustainable, life-long career.  In order to realize this dream, we realize that we must work together to bargain for improvements in workplace safety, training, benefits, and pay. ​

Our Goals

  • Empower veterinary support staff to band together and collectively bargain for change in their workplace.
  • Establish realistic staff-to-patient ratios to ensure both staff and patient safety. 
  • Create workplaces free from bullying and harassment, from fellow staff, management, and clients.
  • Advocate for patients and provision of gold-standard care.
  • Educate the public, legislators, and others about the roles of different staff members in the veterinary practice.
  • Negotiate for benefits to ensure staff health and well-being.
  • Negotiate for and enforce payment of a living wage for veterinary support staff.

Leadership

Liz Hughston, RVT
President

Liz is an RVT and VTS (SAIM)(ECC) practicing as a relief technician, consultant, and trainer in the San Jose, CA area.  She believes passionately in the power of unity and organization and is excited to be leading this effort to improve the working lives of veterinary support staff.

Robyn Sutton, RVT
Vice President

Robyn is an RVT and VTS (ECC) who retired from clinical medicine and currently works in the human healthcare IT sector. Her 21 year career in clinical medicine spanned many roles including kennel assistant, CSR, vet assistant, credentialed technician, department manager, and most recently Hospital Director. She currently lives in the Sierra Foothills of California.

Robyn believes strongly in advocating for greater recognition and fair treatment of veterinary support staff, and believes that unionization, along with greater public awareness of support staff roles, will help achieve that goal. 

Ben Calvert, RVT
Secretary/Treasurer

I've worked and volunteered in veterinary medicine since 2010, and have been licensed in California since 2015. I currently work in ophthalmology, and have experience in Surgery, Neurology, Emergency, and Wildlife medicine

The labor movement has been important to my family for generations - my grandfather was Shop Steward at a paper mill in Washington, and my father was active in the printing union in Austin, TX when I was young.  I have a deep appreciation for what is possible when workers organize.
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