New APALA Report Breaks the Silence on Workplace Abuses

A powerful new report by the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, "Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence,"  gives voice to workers who testified about health and safety violations, immigrant worker exploitation, wage theft, employer intimidation, union suppression and other issues at the first National Asian Pacific American Workers' Rights Hearing. APALA, the AFL-CIO and more than 20 national and local organizations held the hearing to provide a national platform for Asian Americans and Pacific Islander workers to speak about challenges they face in the workplace.

APALA releases report from the first national Workers' Rights Hearing for Asian Americans and Pacific Islander workers.

More than 200 Asian American and Pacific Islander trade unionists, allies, elected officials and academics participated in the hearing.

Among those testifying was Aung Oo, a refugee from Burma who currently lives in Pittsburgh. "I really get afraid of the steel when it is stacked and I have to climb onto the pile to hook the crane to it. I am afraid it will fall and I will be crushed. My saw has no way to keep my arm from being cut off. We have received no safety training ever."

The report exposes the workplace violations and conditions affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other immigrant workers. A new series of hearings is underway; one was just held in New York and more are planned for Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California and Detroit, Michigan.

APALA Executive Director Amado Uno said the group would continue to work with policy makers, educational institutions, unions and other allies to advance the rights of Asian American and Pacific Islander workers.

CWA convention delegates in July commended the important work being done by the AFL-CIO constituency groups like APALA and encouraged locals to join constituency group chapters and encourage members to participate.

For more on APALA, go to www.apalanet.org.