The University officially recognized the Third World Labor Organization, according to a Wednesday TWLO Instagram post. The union represents 53 student workers at the Brown Center for Students of Color.
TWLO will be the fourth active student labor union on campus alongside the Graduate Labor Organization, Teaching Assistant Labor Organization and Labor Organization of Community Coordinators. Like these organizations, TWLO will be affiliated with the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals/American Federation of Teachers Local 6516, according to TWLO spokesperson Jo Ouyang ’26.
The University did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
According to Ouyang, the union’s authorization cards were signed by a 43-person supermajority of BCSC student workers and verified on Feb. 23 by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent federal mediation agency.
Union organizers announced the formation of TWLO at a “Labor for Palestine” rally earlier this month, when they also delivered a letter to the office of President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 requesting voluntary recognition.
On Feb. 15, Vice President for Campus Life Eric Estes informed union organizers that the University was prepared to voluntarily recognize the union upon authorization card verification, The Herald previously reported.
University Spokesperson Brian Clark previously told The Herald that recognition was conditional upon “a review of signed union authorization cards (showing) that organizers have a majority support among the student employees at the Brown Center for Students of Color.”
TWLO will “enter bargaining sessions soon to advocate for a fair contract,” Ouyang wrote in a statement to The Herald.
Ethan Schenker is a Senior Staff Writer covering staff and student labor. He is from Bethesda, MD, and plans to study International and Public Affairs and Economics. In his free time, he enjoys playing piano and clicking on New York Times notifications.
Jennifer Shim is a University News editor overseeing the staff and student labor beat. She is a sophomore studying Applied Math-Economics. Outside of The Herald, you can find her playing NYT Connections.
