Discrimination in the veterinary profession

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Sal the 1st — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 19:44:39 GMT

[quote user="molladog"]

Totally agree Ben and Lizzy, I will be facing this very soon too !

[/quote]

I'm already there. A number of times I have had to go to hospital because my mother has had a fall. She lives in warden accomodation and the warden calls me as next of kin. If I get to hers before the ambulance I usually have to witness the standoff between her and the ambulance crew because she doesn't want to go (which is a real time waster for all involved) followed by a trip to A+E or whatever they call it these days and a wait in the corridor until somebody decides the old bat isn't worth the aggravation and sends her home. At least three times now I have got in from work - then gone straight out to hers , spent the night in the corridor with her , took her home, made her breakfast, waited for warden or carer to get there at 8.30am, got a taxi home , got changed and still made my 10.30am start. I have a really decent boss but I really wouldn't want to leave us short staffed if there is a possibility I can get there.

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

molladog — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:29:55 GMT

Totally agree Ben and Lizzy, I will be facing this very soon too !

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Ben Ogden — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:11:12 GMT

[quote user="LizzyJ"]

Totally agree with Sal. I don’t have children(by choice) and so have never taken maternity leave however the time is fast approaching when I may have to care for an elderly parent but will no doubt have to take holiday/unpaid leave if I’m lucky, no statutory leave for me!

[/quote]

THIS!

Surely with our ageing population we should send focus on care for older family members.

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Ian M — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 01:58:27 GMT

+1 Sal. Also noticed in one job that the trade stands at conferences and events in the UK always end up being covered by the childless, because the parents can't do them.... but the overseas ones, follow a different system..

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

LizzyJ — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 19:02:37 GMT

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Anne Watkins — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 14:49:47 GMT

That's interesting about a male vet having a bad back because he has to lift heavy dogs?! I'm going to be in serious trouble later in life if that's the case working in an all-female practice haha!! We wipe the floor with those male vets

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

molladog — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 09:35:38 GMT

Totally agree Sal.

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Sal the 1st — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 09:11:11 GMT

it isn't a payment issue for me at all its just recognition that sometimes I might have a life outside of work too and might just appreciate a little time to live it. - I just want to be clear it isn't every working parent that takes the pee but the ones that do spoil it for everybody else. I am usually pretty easy going believe it or not. I couldn't have children and sometimes it feels like I am being penalised because I'm not breeding stock

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 08:23:53 GMT

I think there is an interesting discussion to be had about what discrimination actually is. I mean, as I say, in the full BVA report, there is the case study of a male vet who said he felt societal pressure to lift heavy dogs, which has given him a bad back.

But to my mind, that is not discrimination. Discrimination is when someone treats another unfairly or less well than another person because they belong to a different group. In the example above, nobody is treating the vet male vet unfairly, he has just decided for himself that society expects him to lift a heavy dog!

By that definition, Sal the 1st (and I hadn't thought of it before), yes I agree it is discriminatory for someone to delegate more work to a childless woman (unless they want it and are paid more for it, or, as you say, thanked for it!)

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Sal the 1st — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 23:23:50 GMT

not going to be popular this one and can see a few of you stabbing away at the disagree button even now but I have felt discriminated against in virtually every practice I have ever worked in. How? - well that would be because I don't have children but 9 times out of 10 I end up 'carrying' people who do. They are not my children but many times they end up being my problem - when parents have 'special school assemblies' to attend , need to leave early for whatever reason, need to collect poorly children from school, have to take most of Christmas off, can't do on call, can't come in because of childcare issues, school holidays etc etc etc its idiots like me that end up filling in. I wouldn't mind so much if we ever got any thanks for it but most of the the time we don't. Don't get me wrong not all parents are the same but there has been at least one wherever I have worked who will take things to the limit and you know what after 30 odd years of filling the gaps I've had enough of it. If parents have 'rights' why don't I?

RE: Discrimination in the veterinary profession

Denise Cooke — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 18:38:38 GMT

Yes sadly I have work in a few to many practice which discrimination happen. Especially if you're face doesn't fit it a very sad world.