29 Sept 2023 — Brown University Community Coordinators are Unionizing

Providence, RI – The Community Coordinators (CCs) – students working as live-in residential assistants and community leaders with the Office of Residential Life – have announced their decision to file for unionization with the National Labor Relations Board and are seeking voluntary recognition from Brown. 

The CCs have formed the Labor Organization of Community Coordinators (LOCC), joining the Teaching Assistant Labor Organization (TALO) and the Graduate Labor Organization’s (GLO) efforts to better working conditions and advocate for fellow student workers. 

“We care deeply about our communities, and want to continue performing and improving in our roles. CCs are a crucial part of the residential experience, and we deserve to be compensated as such,” said Audrey Wijono, a returning CC and an organizer with the group.  “We expect voluntary recognition from Brown. A strong majority of CCs have signed an authorization card. This is an initiative by us, for us, and we expect Brown to respect our rights and collective efforts as workers by not engaging in anti-union action.”

The CCs are seeking a real say in ResLife—-better compensation, better work conditions, better communication from ResLife, and better protections.

“Although we are called ‘Community Coordinators,’ our jobs are almost identical to Residential Assistants (RAs),” said Elijah Puente, another organizer. “At other universities, RAs receive housing, meal plan, and a stipend, but at Brown we receive just enough to cover housing. We want to be fully present for our residents and it is difficult for many of us to do that when we have to work other on-campus jobs to offset the insufficient pay.”

“We are students first. Our contract is left intentionally vague so that ResLife can justify the exploitation of our labor wherever they see fit,” said Alisha Guerrero, a senior and returning CC organizing with LOCC. “ResLife is aware of CC grievances and asks for our feedback each year, yet does not consult us about the changes they make to address our concerns.”

LOCC, like TALO, is seeking to negotiate a contract with the university.

“We constantly are told at the last minute about events we have to attend and face repercussions if we cannot,“ Alisha continued. “Flexibility in our schedule is demanded of us, but is often not granted in return.”

“CCs have very variable experiences with treatment by our supervisors, the Area Coordinators,” said Pei-Jun Huang, an organizer with the group and a CC for first-year students. “We want protections from the hostile work environments and unjust retaliations that we have seen or experienced. We want established procedures to seek accountability from ResLife.” 

Student workers occupying parallel positions at peer institutions, such as Residential Assistants or Residential Advisors, have successfully unionized. These unions of Residential Life workers include, but are not limited to, the Wesleyan Union of Student Employees, United Labor of Tufts Residents Assistants, the Columbia University Resident Advisor Collective, the Fordham RA Union, the Boston University ResLife Union, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute RA Union, Mount Holyoke Collective, and as of yesterday, the Penn RA union. 

“Community Coordinators are an integral part of the experience of every undergraduate student at Brown,” said Pei-Jun Huang. “Brown University’s residential requirement means undergraduates must be on campus for at least three years. Brown runs on our labor.”

Brown University is a private research university located in Providence, Rhode Island. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education in the United States, with a strong emphasis on undergraduate teaching and research. 

For more information, contact the LOCC organizing committee at info@loccunion.org.

LOCC is organizing a rally, to be held this Tuesday (October 3rd) at 12 PM on the Main Green. We invite all those who support workers’ rights to stand in solidarity with our cause.