Vermont Mental Health Workers Secure Union Win Against Anti-Union Efforts

Vermont Mental Health Workers Overcome Anti-Union Challenges

At the forefront of a prolonged struggle for unionization, employees at the Howard Center in Chittenden County, Vermont, have tirelessly advocated for their rights. This mental health and substance recovery provider has been historically resistant to union efforts, maintaining a right-to-work stance since its organization by Council 93 in 1980.

Dan Peyser, a psychotherapist at the Howard Center Methadone Clinic, expressed the unique challenges they faced: “Howard Center is not a normal employer. It’s not that they don’t play ball. For them, it’s more. There is no ball game.”

Rob Van Campen, General Counsel for Council 93, highlighted the extent of the center's opposition: “This is an employer who appealed a minor issue of labor law, which they had little to no chance of winning, to the Vermont Supreme Court, lost, and then tried unsuccessfully to appeal the case to the United States Supreme Court.”

When Dan Peyser took over as president of Local 1674 in 2018, he was met with a challenge—only a small fraction of the workforce, 15% of the 700 employees, were members of AFSCME. This low engagement was attributed to the anti-union atmosphere cultivated by the Howard Center over the years.

Through a focused effort on internal organizing and fostering a strong steward system, Peyser and his successor, Katie Harris, managed to rejuvenate the membership base. Their consistent efforts led to a doubling of union membership within three years.

With increased union strength, the team entered their latest negotiations in spring with a strategic goal: to secure a fair share fee in their contract for new hires, challenging the center's long-standing anti-union policies.

Nolan Rampey, vice president of Local 1674, stated, “Our focus going into negotiations was set on fair share – that was our base, our starting point. The level of opposition we faced from Howard Center management in negotiations for granting fair share was staggering.”

After reaching an impasse, the union adopted open bargaining, inviting transparency and encouraging member participation. In July, they organized a “Honk and Wave” action for higher wages and fair share fees, drawing over 80 workers and community support, including political figures like Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman.

The demonstration underscored the growing public support for the union's cause. Rampey reflected on the impact: “It was a ‘seeing is believing’ moment. That was crucial because everyone was able to see and understand that the union is not something external. We are the union, and our strength is in our numbers.”

As union membership swelled to 54%, marking the first time the union represented a majority, Local 1674 secured a collective bargaining agreement in October. This agreement marked a historic shift by instituting a fair share fee, effectively ending the right-to-work clause after 40 years.

The agreement also featured substantial improvements in wages and benefits and resisted attempts to introduce a two-tiered benefit system. Andy Blanchet, who became Local 1674’s President in 2021, emphasized the union's perseverance: “The real story here is the snowball effect of realizing your power [in a union]. You just have to keep pushing because every seemingly small victory along the way adds up to a big one – you just need to start.”

Blanchet noted the ongoing journey for Local 1674, stating, “Our union is only as strong as those of us who decide to do something. That was realized throughout this victory and marked a significant shift towards an open, safe, pro-union culture at Howard Center.”