History of APALA
In
1992, over 500 Asian Pacific American (APA)
labor activists from around the country
gathered in Washington D.C. for the founding
convention of the Asian Pacific American Labor
Alliance, AFL-CIO.
Prior to the founding convention several local APA labor groups were formed. The Asian American Labor Committee in New York, the Asian American Federation of Union Members in San Francisco, and the Alliance of Asian Pacific Labor in Los Angeles in Los Angeles were all created to meet regional labor needs. Still there was a necessity for a national coalition. In 1990, APA labor activists approached the AFL-CIO with a historic proposal to form a national Asian Pacific American labor group.
As a result, in 1991, the AFL-CIO Executive Council established a committee to explore the formation of a national APA labor group. The Steering Committee that was formed from this proposal included the three regional APA labor groups, representatives from the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and representatives from the seven founding unions.
The stated goals of APALA were to create an organization, which would educate APA workers; promote political education and voter registration programs among APAs; and promote training, empowerment, and leadership of APAs within the labor movement and APA community. APALA further set out to defend and advocate for the civil and human rights of APAs, immigrants and people of color and to develop ties within international labor organizations, especially in Asia and the Pacific.
Asian Pacific American Immigration & Labor History Timeline
Prior to the founding convention several local APA labor groups were formed. The Asian American Labor Committee in New York, the Asian American Federation of Union Members in San Francisco, and the Alliance of Asian Pacific Labor in Los Angeles in Los Angeles were all created to meet regional labor needs. Still there was a necessity for a national coalition. In 1990, APA labor activists approached the AFL-CIO with a historic proposal to form a national Asian Pacific American labor group.
As a result, in 1991, the AFL-CIO Executive Council established a committee to explore the formation of a national APA labor group. The Steering Committee that was formed from this proposal included the three regional APA labor groups, representatives from the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and representatives from the seven founding unions.
The stated goals of APALA were to create an organization, which would educate APA workers; promote political education and voter registration programs among APAs; and promote training, empowerment, and leadership of APAs within the labor movement and APA community. APALA further set out to defend and advocate for the civil and human rights of APAs, immigrants and people of color and to develop ties within international labor organizations, especially in Asia and the Pacific.
Asian Pacific American Immigration & Labor History Timeline