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María Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-
Treasurer of the Los Angeles County
Federation of Labor. |
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| William Smart from the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy and the Clean and Safe Ports Campaign. |
The UCLA Labor Center hosted a labor and immigration forum at the Downtown Labor Center about the current debate on immigration reform and to highlight the dynamic immigrant worker organizing campaigns taking place throughout Los Angeles.
On June 6, the forum began with UCLA Labor Center director Kent Wong, who presented a framework of the immigration reform debate and labor’s role in the fight to organize immigrant workers. María Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, presented an overview of the campaign for humane comprehensive immigration reform and its impact on the labor movement.
Next was a panel presentation with William Smart from the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy and the Clean and Safe Ports Campaign, who talked about the efforts of the Teamsters Local 952 to organize the thousands of mostly Latino port truckers at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Ron Reese from SEIU Local 1877 discussed the recent victory of the security officers organizing campaign that led to the creation of the Security Officers Union of Los Angeles (SOULA). Paulina Gonzalez from UNITE HERE talked about the Hotel Worker Rising Campaign at the LAX hotels. And Mike Sherrit from the Ironworkers Local 416 discussed organizing initiatives in the construction industry.
Three breakout sessions followed, on the guest worker program, Home Depot and day laborers, and new strategies for organizing. The reports from these dynamic sessions led into a lunch presentation by David Bacon, a longtime labor activist, writer, and photographer. Each participant received an organizer’s toolkit addressing immigration and immigrant worker issues, including know-your-rights materials from the National Immigration Law Center and the National Employment Law Center.
The week following the forum, the UCLA Labor Center joined a coalition of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, UNITE HERE, and immigrant rights groups in launching the Dreams Across America Tour (DAAT). DAAT was a nationwide journey via train to dispel myths, provide facts, and share personal stories about the need for just and humane immigration reform in this country. In eight days via ten cities, the tour brought together one hundred diverse “dreamers” from throughout the country. The dreamers completed their journey in Washington DC, where they shared their compelling stories with congressional leaders. To read their stories, go to www.dreamsacrossamericaonline.org.
For information on workshops for your organization, call Victor Narro at (213) 480-4155 x209.
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