Maryland Behavioral Technicians Strike Over Contract Standoff

The labor dispute centers on compensation and scheduling stability in one of the nation’s most expensive regions. Since voting to unionize last year, staff have clashed with management over wage increases and a company proposal to eliminate the standard 40-hour work week. Employees argue these changes threaten their ability to remain in the profession.

William Davis, President of Teamsters Local 639, emphasized that these technicians perform highly skilled work that families rely on daily. For the staff on the picket line, the walkout is framed as a necessary step to secure the professional respect and financial security required to continue their therapeutic services. The union, which has operated across the Washington, D.C. region since 1934, is now pushing for a contract that stabilizes the workplace and protects existing hours.