First Asian Pacific American Worker Congress To Be Held in Los Angeles

On Saturday, March 15, 2014, the first Asian Pacific American Worker Congress in Los Angeles will be held at the Service Employees International Union #721 at 1545 Wilshire Blvd. from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 100 Asian American workers from unions, worker centers, and community organizations will attend. It’s the first time in Los Angeles such a forum has been held, which will empower the Asian-Pacific community to discuss improving conditions in their workplaces, as well as immigrant rights.

APALA’s exciting API Workers Congress will bring together API advocates, student and community activists, workers, allied worker centers, social justice organizations, union leaders, members and staff. Everyone is welcome – free admission and breakfast and lunch will be provided. RSVP here: http://goo.gl/Rxyybf

The Asian Pacific American Worker Congress is sponsored by the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), a national organization of Asian American union members and workers with chapters throughout the country. Los Angeles is the home to the largest concentration of Asian American workers in the country, and home to one of the most dynamic labor movements.

The Worker Congress will bring together worker leaders to forge a common agenda to promote economic justice, to defend immigrant rights, and to support political action. Asian American workers are concentrated in low wage jobs, are facing family separation through deportation, and are under-represented in the political arena. For example, there are currently no Asian Americans on the Los Angeles Board of Education, the Los Angeles City Council, or the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

The Worker Congress will focus on leadership development workshops to encourage Asian American workers to assume more leadership within their unions and communities. The Congress will support key economic justice campaigns to raise the minimum wage and to support unionization. The Congress will also promote more political activism among API workers in this crucial 2014 election year.

Speakers at the Worker Congress include California State Controller John Chiang, and other key labor and community leaders of Los Angeles.

Founded in 1992, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO, is the first and only national organization of Asian Pacific American (APA) union members. Since its founding, APALA has played a unique role in addressing the workplace issues of the 660,000 APA union members and as the bridge between the broader labor movement and the APA community. Backed with strong support of the AFL-CIO, APALA has 13 chapters and pre-chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C.