Public Employee Press

DC 37 celebrates
Asian Heritage

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

Hundreds of members and guests enjoyed an evening of inspiring talks, cultural presentations and a tasty multi-ethnic meal May 18 at the union's annual celebration of Asian Heritage Month.

The DC 37 Asian Heritage Committee sponsored the event, whose theme was "Our Children Continue the Rich Asian Heritage and Culture."

The gala provided an opportunity to relax with friends, take pride in Asian contributions to the United States, and focus on the importance of members' involvement in union activities.

Committee Chair Maf Misbah Uddin, who is treasurer of DC 37 and president of Local 1407, said he is concerned about the current U.S. political climate and urged working people, especially public employees, to stick together to fight the growing attacks from the conservative right.

Uddin noted that the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party has introduced legislation in over 30 states to cut public employees' benefits. Locally, the union has battled years of downsizing and budget cuts, he said.

DC 37 Associate Director Henry Garrido pointed out that the union is a unique institution insofar as it unites diverse workers in the common struggle for respect, dignity and economic justice. But the union risks losing the battle if members let racial, ethnic, cultural and other differences separate them, Garrido said.

"This is a union that includes everyone," said New York City Comptroller John C. Liu, the event's keynote speaker. He, too, observed that public employees confront a "poisonous climate," which he said underscores the need for union representation.

Other guests included Edna Wells Handy, commissioner of the Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services, Dorothy Chin-Brandt, acting justice of the New York State Supreme Court, and Caroline Fan, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, an AFL-CIO constituency group. Ahmed Shakir, an APALA vice president and a Local 375 chapter president, praised the committee, whose co-chair is Bhagwatie Dwarika, for hosting the evening, and urged members to become more active in the union.