Workers at Baltimore animal shelter win their union
BALTIMORE – Nearly 60 workers at Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) have voted overwhelmingly to form their union with AFSCME Maryland Council 3.
The new bargaining unit will consist of adoptions counselors, animal care attendants, cat foster coordinators, community cats program coordinators, pet support reps, surgery assistants, training and enrichment coordinators, vet techs, and others.
Members of BARCS Workers United organized to help address concerns regarding physical protection at work, transparency, and respect, among other reasons.
“As BARCS staff, we give animals a second chance, and today, we gave ourselves a stronger voice to better stand up for the animals and for our fellow co-workers. This is only the first step before negotiations for the betterment of BARCS and Baltimore’s animal welfare system as a whole,” said Taylor Hilton, a BARCS Workers United member and a veterinary technician.
The election was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board, and workers voted 39-9 in favor of their union.
“We asked nicely, and management ignored us. We made it clear that things need to change, and they made it clear that the only way they’d respect us was by organizing our union,” said Rachel Brown, a pet support representative.
The members of BARCS Workers United are committed to better pay for their lowest-paid workers, adequate protections and safety protocols for all staff, respect in the workplace from management, and departmental transparency.The newly formed bargaining unit will create a formal pathway for workers to better advocate for themselves and the communities they serve in support of the BARCS mission.
“Today’s victory for BARCS workers truly embodies the mission of AFSCME Maryland: to improve conditions for Marylanders so that they can do the important work that keeps our communities running. BARCS employees work tirelessly to provide safety and security to animals in need, and that goes hand in hand with providing safety and security to them,” said Sabeela Ally, executive director of AFSCME Maryland.
