Feel Good Friday - Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

Today is International Workers' Day. It’s also the 33rd founding anniversary of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, making it the perfect moment to spotlight this one-of-a-kind organization.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the mission of Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is to "develop a comprehensive strategy to organize Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders into Unions, and to promote the participation and leadership of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders within the Labor Movement."

APALA didn't emerge in a vacuum. The organization's own history acknowledges a long legacy of both contribution and exclusion: AANHPI workers helped build this country, from Filipino labor organizer Philip Vera Cruz, instrumental in founding the United Farm Workers, to Katie Quan and May Chen, who led the Chinese Garment Workers strike of 1982. Yet despite these contributions, AANHPI workers faced legalized barriers to joining the labor movement for generations. It was against that backdrop that AANHPI labor activists approached the AFL-CIO in 1990 with a proposal for a national organization. On May 1, 1992, over 500 AANHPI labor activists gathered in Washington, D.C. to make it real.

Today, APALA is the voice of nearly 800,000 AANHPI union members across more than 22 chapters nationwide. Their work spans several interconnected areas. The Organizing Institute is a three-day training that builds power for AANHPI union organizers, researchers, and leaders within the broader labor movement. The Young Leaders Council brings together worker representatives under 35 from across the country, educating the next generation about the labor movement and how to drive change in their communities. Beyond union building, APALA advocates on immigration reform, anti-Asian racism, voter registration, and civil rights, serving as a critical bridge between the labor movement and AANHPI communities.

Today would be a great day to show your support for APALA and here are some ways to do just that. Become a member, make a donation, shop for merch or amplify their message on social media. Follow APALA on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and share their stories of solidarity and worker power with your network.

Happy International Workers' Day! 

Feel Good Friday - Pride at Work

Pride Month has begun and we’re kicking it off by highlighting an organization that represents LGBTQ+ union members and their allies, Pride at Work.

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Washington D.C., Pride at Work is a nonprofit organization that “organizes mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the LGBTQ Community to further social and economic justice.” Or as someone nicely summarized in this 5-minute introductory video, “it is the LGBTQ arm of the Labor Movement, it is the labor arm of the LGBTQ movement.”

With “nearly half (48.8%) of transgender employees reporting experiencing discrimination (being fired or not hired) based on their LGBTQ+ status” and companies using religious exemptions to circumvent civil rights laws, Pride at Work believes that “the strongest protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer working people is an inclusive union contract.” 

Examples of the issues they work to get addressed in union contracts and policies include workplace discrimination, religious exemptions, transgender working people, and bathroom access. In the resources section of their website, they provide model contract language that can be used when bargaining for a new contract. 

The resource section also has materials to educate union members and leaders so they can discuss LGBTQ+ issues effectively. There is an explanation of gender pronouns and recommendations on how to be more inclusive, for example addressing people in a meeting as “labor siblings” instead of “Sisters and Brothers”. There is also an LGBTQ+ 101 guide that provides basic definitions of terms and clarifies the difference between gender, gender identity and biological sex. Useful for anyone who wants a better understanding whether or not they are a union member.

If you’d like to get involved with Pride at Work, you can do so on a local level. With over 20 chapters across the country, there’s a good chance you’ll find one near you. To support them on a national level, you can shop for merch, make a donation and help raise awareness on social media. Like the Pride at Work Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @PrideatWork #1upride 

Feel Good Friday - United Farm Workers of America

My neighborhood in Oakland is celebrating Cesar Chavez day tomorrow, which is why today's Feel Good Friday is all about the United Farm Workers of America (UFW).

You may know the UFW because you remember striking farm workers in the '60s and '70s, the fasts of Cesar Chavez or because you boycotted grapes in support of farm worker rights. Younger people may recognize the UFW slogan ¡Si Se Puede!, which President Obama translated to English and used in his campaigns, Yes We Can!

Founded in 1962 by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla, the United Farm Workers of America is "the nation's first enduring and largest farm workers union" with the vision of "working for a safe and just food supply". There are four pillars supporting their vision:

• Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one is looking.
• Si Se Puede Attitude: A personal and organizational spirit that promotes confidence, courage, hard work, and the belief that we can do the impossible.
• Dignity: Recognizing and respecting the inherent worth of all people.
• Innovation: The active pursuit of new ideas.

As they've done since the beginning, the UFW champions legislative and regulatory reforms for farm workers. Current campaigns focus on issues such as: immigration, with a bill to provide a path to earn lawful permanent residence; overtime, so that farm workers are paid time and a half after 8 hours work; reforming the unsafe labor practices of the largest dairy that supplies milk to Starbucks; and a voter registration drive. 

If you want to take action on any of these issues or learn about additional campaigns, you can click this link and fill out a short form to contact your congressperson. 

Other ways to support the UFW are to make a donation, shop for merch and spread the word on social media by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @UFWupdates. 

¡Si Se Puede!