The First Strike in ABA? What the Verbal Beginnings Labor Dispute Means for the Field
- Ashleigh Evans (BCBA)
- Jul 27
- 5 min read
A labor dispute at Verbal Beginnings in Rockville, Maryland, is drawing attention across the ABA community. Organizers describe it as the first strike by ABA workers in the United States, making it a potentially historic moment for the profession. While the strike involves one provider, the issues at the center of the dispute, including compensation, guaranteed hours, and working conditions, reflect challenges that many Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and ABA organizations are navigating across the country.
As the situation unfolds, it raises broader questions about the future of the ABA workforce. Could this be an isolated event, or the beginning of a broader shift in how ABA professionals advocate for workplace change?
What Is Happening at Verbal Beginnings?
On July 20, 2026, 33 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) represented by Teamsters Local 639 initiated a strike after negotiations over a first collective bargaining agreement reached an impasse. The RBTs, who provide ABA therapy services in the Rockville, Maryland area, voted 33-1 to unionize in 2025 and, according to union representatives, have been negotiating with Verbal Beginnings for more than a year.
According to Teamsters Local 639 and the ABA Workers Union, the strike centers on concerns related to RBT compensation, scheduling, and workplace conditions. Union representatives allege that the company hasn't made progress toward reaching an agreement. At the time of publication, Verbal Beginnings hasn't publicly released a response addressing the union's specific claims.
What Are the Workers Asking For?
Based on public statements from Teamsters Local 639 and the ABA Workers Union, employees involved in the strike are seeking a first collective bargaining agreement that addresses concerns they say affect both workers and the quality of care they provide.
Among the priorities identified by the union are:
Competitive wages
Guaranteed 40-hour work weeks
Improved workplace conditions
Greater stability and recognition for frontline ABA professionals
In a statement released by Teamsters, RBT Collin Johnson said:
“First and foremost, we are fighting for the wellbeing of the kids we work with. Every one of us cares deeply about the work we do, and we just want to be fairly compensated and respected in order to be able to serve our community to the best of our abilities.” —Collin Johnson, RBT and member of Local 639.
Why This Story Resonates Across the ABA Field
The concerns raised during this dispute are unlikely to surprise many people working in ABA. For years, RBTs across the country have discussed workforce challenges, including:
Inconsistent schedules due to client cancellations
Difficulty obtaining full-time hours
Limited access to benefits or paid time off
High turnover, impacting client care and team morale
Burnout associated with physically and emotionally demanding work
Compensation concerns, including whether pay reflects the nature of the work or keeps pace with rising costs of living
The work RBTs do is incredibly valuable. They are often the face of ABA services, spending more direct time with clients than anyone else on the clinical team. When experienced RBTs leave the field because of burnout, financial pressures, or limited opportunities for career growth, providers are left to recruit and train new staff, while families may experience disruptions in care.
Of course, these challenges are not unique to Verbal Beginnings, nor are they the result of any single employer. ABA providers are also navigating rising operating costs, workforce shortages, and stagnant reimbursement rates. As a result, employees and employers are often trying to solve the same workforce challenges from different perspectives.
Supporting your team starts with the right tools.
Office Puzzle helps ABA providers streamline daily operations, improve efficiency, and reduce the administrative burden that takes time away from what matters most.
Could Unionization Become More Common in ABA?
Historically, unionization has not been common in private ABA organizations. However, the Verbal Beginnings strike has brought increased attention to conversations about worker advocacy, compensation, and workplace conditions within the field.
As the demand for autism services has grown, the ABA workforce has expanded rapidly. At the same time, many organizations continue to navigate the challenge of balancing employee expectations with the financial realities of delivering care.
The question now is whether the Verbal Beginnings strike represents an isolated event or the beginning of a broader shift in ABA. Labor organizing can provide employees with a formal process to negotiate issues such as wages, benefits, scheduling, and workplace policies. At the same time, unionization is only one approach to addressing workforce concerns.
What ABA Providers Can Learn From the Verbal Beginnings Strike
Regardless of how the negotiations at Verbal Beginnings are ultimately resolved, the situation provides an opportunity for ABA organizations to reflect on how they support and retain the professionals who deliver the services.
Here are a few areas ABA providers may want to evaluate:
Employee communication: Do team members have opportunities to share concerns, provide feedback, and feel heard before frustrations escalate?
In addition to encouraging direct communication, organizations may consider offering anonymous feedback channels as well as formal staff feedback processes to give employees additional opportunities to raise concerns, share ideas, and provide input before frustrations escalate.
Compensation and benefits: Are pay structures competitive within the local market, and are employees informed about how compensation decisions are made?
Schedule stability: Are there ways to minimize the impact of cancellations and provide greater predictability in hours for frontline clinicians?
Career growth opportunities: Do RBTs have clear pathways for professional development and advancement within the organization?
Workplace culture: Do employees feel valued for the important role they play in delivering quality care?
What Happens Next?
For the employees involved, the focus remains on reaching a first collective bargaining agreement that addresses the concerns raised during negotiations. Organizers with Teamsters Local 639 are encouraging supporters to contact Verbal Beginnings at (855) 910-6147 and ask the company to return to the bargaining table with a proposal addressing workers’ concerns.
Whether this strike becomes a turning point for labor organizing in ABA or remains an isolated event, it has brought renewed attention to the challenges facing the ABA workforce. The future of the field will depend on finding sustainable ways to support the professionals who provide care while also addressing the operational and financial realities faced by ABA organizations.
ABA Resource Center will continue monitoring developments in this story and will update this article as additional information becomes available from Verbal Beginnings, Teamsters Local 639, or other parties involved.
Editor's Note: ABA Resource Center contacted representatives involved in the labor dispute seeking additional comment. At the time of publication, responses had not been received. This article will be updated if additional information becomes available.
Partnership & Transparency Disclaimer
The content we share on ABA Resource Center is reader-supported. This means that if you click on certain links and make a purchase, we may earn a small referral fee. Rest assured, we only recommend tools, resources, and services that we genuinely believe add value to the ABA field.
Football Bros proves that simple gameplay can still be incredibly addictive. The controls are easy to learn, but mastering perfect timing and positioning takes real practice.