Let's Go West Coast!

The union campaign at Compass Behavioral Group emerged in response to low wages, cancellation concerns, scheduling instability, and high turnover, which disrupted workers' livelihoods and clients' continuity of care. Behavior Support Clinicians, BCaBAs, BCBAs, and other certified/licensed support staff organized to demand a living wage, transparent expectations, fair workloads, and protections against retaliation.

Despite operating in a right-to-work state and facing management resistance, workers built a majority-driven organizing committee, ran a successful NLRB election, and secured union representation. The campaign centered on dignity, clinical integrity, and the simple idea that stable, well-supported workers provide better care. It now continues into first-contract bargaining focused on wages, healthcare, job security, and sustainable working conditions.

The workers at Verbal Beginnings in Rockville, Maryland, organized a union campaign across RBTs and techs on May 1st, 2025, to fight for better pay, improved facilities standards, safety equipment/PPE, and protection against 

These workers organized in a right-to-work state and faced significant resistance from management. Despite this, using the organizing committee model, workers at Verbal Beginnings were able to pull off a near-unanimous vote. Their campaign centers on clinical integrity and continuity of care, advocating for a living wage in a high-cost-of-living region of Maryland. They are now working towards their first contract, bargaining around wages, healthcare access, safety, job security, and sustainable working conditions.