APALA fights wage theft

[Omaha Steve]

http://peoplesworld.org/apala-fights-wage-theft/

APALA fights wage theft

by: Marilyn Bechtel
July 29 2011



OAKLAND, Calif. - Among important themes at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance convention here July 21-24 were the importance of labor's united fight for low-wage workers' rights and the struggle for a fair immigration policy.

In opening remarks, APALA President Luisa Blue set the stage: "It will take all of us to change things in corporate America," where unions are under attack and the right is blaming workers for the current crisis, she said.

Panels featured gripping accounts of low-wage workers' problems.

Speaking in Chinese, former restaurant worker Eun Yan detailed her experiences. "We had no minimum wage, no overtime, no breaks, no benefits," she said. Kitchen prep was "difficult, dirty work," the hours were long and managers constantly yelled at the workers.

Yan highlighted the Chinese Progressive Association's report, Check Please, issued last October, which details the violations of labor rights experienced by many Chinese restaurant workers in San Francisco.

"This doesn't just happen to Chinese restaurant workers," Yan said. "It's widespread among all groups, and also affects domestic and construction workers. It hurts families, consumers and overall economic development."

FULL story at link.