Join The Movement
Workers in Applied Behavior Analysis are welcome to join the ABA Workers' Union (AWU). We are a worker-led, volunteer network of organizers empowering all workers in the field to demand better working conditions for our industry.
Where to Start
1. Fill out our membership form
2. Schedule a new member meeting
3. Meet with the Organizer to plan next steps
Get connected. Learn how to organize. Form a union with your coworkers. Win a contract. It sounds simple, but it isn't - and we'll be with you every step of the way.
Our Mission is Simple
Fair Pay.
R/BTs are the backbone of ABA services, and generate (on average) $40-$80 per hour in revenue; pay them what they're worth
BCBAs cannot provide effective care when RBT turnover remains between 30 - 80% per year
Supervision contracts amount to indentured servitude, with onerous payback clauses if you leave the company
We change behavior for a living; now, we're organizing to change behavior analysis so we can make a living.
Ethics & Safety Standards
Send sick kids home, and plan for young kids to nap
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shouldn't be improvised by desperate staff
BCBA caseloads should match the BCBA's capacity and competency
For sustainability, we must have paid sick time, paid vacation days, and paid mental health recuperation days each year
Companies should provide safe, clean workplaces, free of hazards
For R/BTs, frequent, in-person supervision must be guaranteed
Breaks and lunch periods (without clients present)
Our working conditions are our client's learning conditions.
Dignity & Respect
Abolish draconian "point" systems (such as ABC's Occurrence system)
Staff pairings should be decided fairly, and not based on whether leadership likes you
Protection against retaliation for bringing ethical or operational concerns to management
Predictable, fair, transparent compensation structures
"Provider choice" does not mean we honor racist, sexist, or homophobic "preferences."
Our Plan to Win
In the last year, we organized over 100 RBTs, BCaBAs, and BCBAs at 4 companies and 6 unique locations. We've learned how to win, and proven this can work. Now, we're calling on you to join us to make our mission a reality for every ABA Worker.