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4/3/2026
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Rep. Morales supports unionizing efforts of Brown University graduate fellows
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STATE HOUSE — Rep. David Morales today affirmed his support for Brown University graduate fellows’ effort to organize as part of the Graduate Labor Organization, the union that represents other graduate student employees at Brown.
“I applaud the historic efforts of the Brown University graduate fellows to join their graduate student colleagues who are already part of GLO. Unionizing is a tried-and-true way to raise the quality of life for one and for all. Graduate students often serve as fellows and as teaching or research assistants at various points over the course of working toward their degrees. At all times, they are providing Brown with value and service, and they deserve the same rights and protections. I hope and expect that they will succeed in this important organizing effort,” said Representative Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence), who earned his master’s degree in public affairs at Brown.
On Monday, leaders from RIFT-AFT Local 6516 informed Brown officials that graduate fellows intend to unionize, in what is believed to be the first organization effort of graduate fellows at any private university in the nation. GLO will be organizing a rally at Brown University’s Ruth J. Simmons Quad in support of graduate fellows, today, Friday, April 3 at 12 p.m.
“With the incorporation of graduate fellows into RIFT-AFT Local 6516, our union is taking a major step to ensure that labor rights are applied to all graduate workers at Brown. We've been able to get to this precedent-setting point thanks to the efforts of our members, as well as state lawmakers and our siblings in the RI labor movement, to whom we are deeply grateful. We appreciate Rep. Morales for his continued support of our union as we continue in this struggle,” said Jasper Cattell, AFT Local 6516’s political director.
The graduate fellows’ effort was made possible by legislation (2025-H 5187Aaa, 2025-S 0124Baa) passed last year by the Rhode Island General Assembly to codify graduate students’ right to organize, regardless of whether they are working as teaching or research assistants. Brown’s graduate students pushed for passage of the bill to defend against Trump administration attacks on a previous National Labor Relations Board ruling requiring private universities to recognize student workers as employees.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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