Public Employee Press

South Asian labor group builds political strength

The South Asian American labor community aims to step up its grassroots activism as it fights for immigrant rights and greater political representation.

"We want to create a network of leaders in all five boroughs," said DC 37 Treasurer and Local 1407 President Maf Misbah Uddin, who is president of the Alliance of South Asian American Labor. "We are reaching out to politicians supported by ASAAL to make appointments to community and public hospital boards to heighten our presence."

Nearly 10 South Asian Americans have received such appointments since the labor group held its sixth annual convention Dec. 21 at DC 37 with 500 activists and guests attending.

The session's theme was "Developing the South Asian Community with Labor and Politics," and the program included panel discussions on workers' rights and organizing, and the civic engagement of South Asian women in the city and the 2013 elections.

Members celebrated last year's election of ASAAL officer Bhairavi Desai, who heads the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, as the first Asian member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council.

Leaders reported on accomplishments of the organization over the past year.

The 2013 election marked the first time ballots were available in Bengali, and the election board responded to an ASAAL initiative by assigning 600 interpreters to polling sites to help South Asian American voters. ASAAL activists distributed more than 30,000 palm cards citywide to support labor-endorsed candidates, including mayoral candidate John Liu.

In 2013 ASAAL activists joined AARP, an organization of retired people, to fight social welfare cuts, and it protested unfair labor practices and unsafe working conditions in China, Bangladesh, Jordan and other countries.

ASAAL worked closely with DC 37, jointly sponsoring a mayoral forum and partnering with the union's Labor, Faith and Community Outreach Program. DC 37 political action director Wanda Williams was honored at the convention.