For immediate release: November 5, 2019
Contact Michelle Loo, [email protected]
Washington, DC - The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), a constituency group of the AFL-CIO, launched the report, Untapped Power: The Strength of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Working People. AANHPI workers are the fastest growing working age population in the United States, a population representing more than 50 different ethnicities and 100 languages, and yet is often overlooked and reduced to a single story that is the model minority myth. The fact is that AANHPI workers are overrepresented at the lower and higher ends of the labor market. Our communities experience wide income disparities that will only worsen if we do not tailor organizing solutions and policies for our diverse community.
Untapped Power describes the state of AANHPI workers and what policymakers, the labor movement, and advocates and organizers can do to ensure working people can build thriving communities.
Executive Director Alvina Yeh states, “In our work and for this report we centered low-wage workers because they are the most vulnerable to the power dynamics between employer and employee. In an economy that is rigged against workers, we have to shift the burden away from workers and power away from bosses. All workers stand to gain from shifting these power dynamics. AANHPIs are the fastest growing working age population and a recent poll shows that our community supports a vision for a progressive economy. Tapping into the strength of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander working people is integral to the future of work and the labor movement.”
The report was launched online and at a congressional briefing yesterday where staffers representing CAPAC members Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Katherine Clark, Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Rep. TJ Cox, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Barbara Lee, and Rep. Michael F. Q. San Nicolas; international union staffers representing AFSCME, BRS, IBEW, NEA, and UNITE HERE; and advocates representing the Alliance for Justice, Coalition for Labor Union Women, Japanese Americans Citizens League, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Coalition For Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Pride At Work joined us.
APALA is a national organization with over 21 chapters across the nation, representing AANHPI rank and file workers and union members. We are partnering with our chapters and members to bring this report to their local union shops, elected officials, and labor councils to demonstrate the strength of organized AANHPI workers. Ultimately, the labor movement stands to grow stronger from organizing AANHPI workers, and AANHPI communities stand to benefit from uniting together and joining the labor movement.
Reach out to Michelle Loo, [email protected], if you are interested in bringing this report to your town.
Check out the report at apalanet.org/untapped-power.
Contact Michelle Loo, [email protected]
Washington, DC - The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), a constituency group of the AFL-CIO, launched the report, Untapped Power: The Strength of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Working People. AANHPI workers are the fastest growing working age population in the United States, a population representing more than 50 different ethnicities and 100 languages, and yet is often overlooked and reduced to a single story that is the model minority myth. The fact is that AANHPI workers are overrepresented at the lower and higher ends of the labor market. Our communities experience wide income disparities that will only worsen if we do not tailor organizing solutions and policies for our diverse community.
Untapped Power describes the state of AANHPI workers and what policymakers, the labor movement, and advocates and organizers can do to ensure working people can build thriving communities.
Executive Director Alvina Yeh states, “In our work and for this report we centered low-wage workers because they are the most vulnerable to the power dynamics between employer and employee. In an economy that is rigged against workers, we have to shift the burden away from workers and power away from bosses. All workers stand to gain from shifting these power dynamics. AANHPIs are the fastest growing working age population and a recent poll shows that our community supports a vision for a progressive economy. Tapping into the strength of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander working people is integral to the future of work and the labor movement.”
The report was launched online and at a congressional briefing yesterday where staffers representing CAPAC members Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Katherine Clark, Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Rep. TJ Cox, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Barbara Lee, and Rep. Michael F. Q. San Nicolas; international union staffers representing AFSCME, BRS, IBEW, NEA, and UNITE HERE; and advocates representing the Alliance for Justice, Coalition for Labor Union Women, Japanese Americans Citizens League, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Coalition For Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Pride At Work joined us.
APALA is a national organization with over 21 chapters across the nation, representing AANHPI rank and file workers and union members. We are partnering with our chapters and members to bring this report to their local union shops, elected officials, and labor councils to demonstrate the strength of organized AANHPI workers. Ultimately, the labor movement stands to grow stronger from organizing AANHPI workers, and AANHPI communities stand to benefit from uniting together and joining the labor movement.
Reach out to Michelle Loo, [email protected], if you are interested in bringing this report to your town.
Check out the report at apalanet.org/untapped-power.
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