Brown Postdoc Labor Organization

Brown University works because WE DO!

Local 6516, Community, and Brown RESOURCES

In light of the events on December 13, 2025, BPLO would like to emphasize relevant resources. Our union is here to support you: we’ve got each others’ backs.

Mental Health Services

The BROWN UNIVERSITY POSTDOC LABOR ORGANIZATION (BPLO) is the union of Postdocs and Dean’s Faculty Fellows at Brown. Together we are fighting for a better Brown and a more just academy.

It’s official: we won our FIRST CONTRACT!! Read all about it HERE

Know Your Union Rights

We support our Union because:

  • BPLO Testimonial by Tucker Manton, which reads: "We postdocs are notoriously underrepresented and do not receive the same treatment as students or staff, much less faculty. I am joining BPLO to break this pattern, to force university administrators to take us seriously and give us the recognition we deserve, and to fight for better pay and conditions for future postdocs here at Brown University."
  • BPLO Testimonial by Eric Johnson, which reads: "Whether running the core operations of lab research or enriching Brown’s curriculum with our unique expertise, postdocs are central to the value of the university as a whole, regardless of how long any one of us is here. I joined BPLO because I believe postdocs, like all workers, have a right to a democratic voice in determining our working conditions."
  • BPLO Testimonial by Caroline Keroack, which reads: "No more task forces, no more listening sessions. I am joining BPLO because together we can demand the salary, benefits, and protections we deserve. I support forming a union to ensure a postdoc isn’t something reserved for a privileged few: we cannot make real progress when critical voices are missing."
  • BPLO Testimonial by David Paulius, which reads: "Being a postdoc or an academic does not equate to being poorly compensated. I support a union that fights for more parity, equal benefits, and better working conditions for domestic and international scholars (like myself) alike."

Do you want to share why BPLO matters to you?
Submit your testimonial here.