On March 26, Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) at Golden Steps ABA in Towson, Md., voted to join UFCW Local 27. The RBTs help children with autism develop everyday skills through Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy.
The campaign was initially started with support from the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC), an organizing project devoted to helping campaigns get off the ground before handing them off to a union to collect authorization cards and file for recognition. The RBTs at Golden Steps chose to affiliate with UFCW Local 27 over concerns about raises, cancellation pay, lack of federal holidays, insufficient paid time off and paid time off accrual, inadequate health care coverage, training policies, health and safety policies, and an unfair discipline system.
The RBTs overcame an aggressive union-busting campaign by the company. Golden Steps used a variety of tactics to dissuade workers from unionizing, including sending intimidating emails from company executives, distributing flyers and articles containing misleading or false information about unions, and having management pull RBTs aside to talk down the union. The company also hired a union-buster whose sole purpose was to intimidate, deceive, and pressure workers out of organizing.
“Let this be a warning to every employer: union busting doesn’t work when workers stand together,” said UFCW Local 27 President Jason Chorpenning. “Golden Steps tried to scare, mislead, and pressure these RBTs, but all it did was strengthen their resolve. I am beyond proud of these workers and of our organizing department, who fearlessly take on these fights and keep winning for working people.”
The RBTs now head to the bargaining table with union representatives to negotiate better pay, benefits, and working conditions. This campaign is a testament to what workers can achieve when they fight together in the face of intimidation and opposition.
“Because of my strong passion for supporting children with autism, I felt inspired to fight for the change I wish to see — not only at Golden Steps, but in the field and culture of ABA as a whole,” said Bula Pefok, an RBT at Golden Steps in Towson. “I’m proud of my fellow employees for winning the election despite the odds, and I look forward to working with Local 27 to achieve our goals.”