In late fall 2025, workers at Aspire Learning Center decided they’d had enough. RBTs at the clinic were facing daily challenges that made quality care harder than it needed to be: outdated materials, pressure to keep sick clients in session, and wages that didn’t come close to reflecting the skill and responsibility the job demands.
Instead of waiting for things to improve on their own, the workers reached out to the ABA Workers’ Union and began organizing together for change. The workers formed an organizing committee, created a workplace map, and contacted the Emergency Worker Organizing Committee to get formal support as their campaign progressed. They used structure tests to practice collectively taking risks, and
On March 11, 2026, their effort paid off. After more than a month of resistance from management, the workers won their union election decisively. 31 out of 37 RBTs voted yes, choosing collective voice over silence and stability over uncertainty.
Now, Aspire workers are preparing for the next phase: negotiating their first contract. Their priorities are straightforward and long overdue. A living wage. Paid sick time. The tools and support needed to provide safe, effective therapy for the children and families who depend on them.
Organizing is never easy. Employers push back. Doubt creeps in. People get tired. But across the country, more RBTs and BCBAs are proving that change is possible when workers stand together.
The victory at Aspire Learning Center is another sign that the field of ABA is changing and that the people who do the work are no longer settling for less. There are now RBT unions at 6 locations across 4 ABA companies nationwide, with the number growing every month. R/BTs, BCaBAs, and BCBAs should take note of what's possible when workers stand together. What felt impossible a year ago is now a monthly trend: workers in our field are standing their ground and demanding better for each other and their clients.