Since its founding, APALA has played a unique role in addressing the workplace issues of the 660,000 APA union members and as the bridge between the broader labor movement and the APA community. Backed with strong support of the AFL-CIO, APALA has 13 chapters and pre-chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C. Los Angeles plays a key role in the labor movement today, as one of the most dyna
mic centers of labor organizing – through unions and worker centers. Los Angeles has about 1.1 million union members, which is about 45% of all the union members in California. In addition, the unionization rate for Asian Pacific Americans is 14.6% in Los Angeles, compared to 16.5% overall. There are 1.3 million Asian Pacific Americans in Los Angeles, the 2nd largest population in the country. Representing the greater Los Angeles area, APALA LA seeks to uplift the voice of Asian Pacific American workers in a region with one of the highest gaps between rich and poor.
