Title: Encouraging AA and NHPI Workers to Speak Up
Word count: 1000
Introduction
In pursuit of the American Dream, many immigrants come to the United States with the hope of creating a better life through hard work and abiding by the law. As the Acting Secretary of Labor, I have inherited the same quality of resilience and courage from my ancestors who traveled across the ocean in search of happiness. Through my work, I aim to empower and protect the rights of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) workers and provide them with better job opportunities.
Challenges and Solutions
The American Dream often remains an unattainable dream for many families. That is why I recently held a roundtable meeting with community leaders, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, to discuss how we can collaborate to protect and empower AA and NHPI workers. We recognize that AA and NHPI businesses are a vital part of our economy, especially in the small business sector, and we must ensure fair competition by strictly enforcing labor laws.
Actions Taken
The Department of Labor is dedicated to safeguarding the rights of AA and NHPI workers and their families, ensuring their representation in decision-making processes, and listening to their voices. Here are some of the actions we have taken:
1. Promoting awareness of worker health and safety, as well as rights related to minimum wage and overtime pay. We collaborate with trusted community organizations to actively engage with the target audience, identify violations, and provide compliance assistance to employers.
2. Investing in all American workers is investing in America. We allocate resources to labor training programs that benefit all workers, including AA and NHPI, and enable them to find good jobs within their communities.
3. Communicating with workers in their own languages, delving into the communities where they live and work. We provide materials in easily understandable language formats to better communicate with AA and NHPI workers, ensuring their awareness of available Department of Labor resources. For instance, we have translated our “Know Your Rights” flyer into 19 languages, including Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.
4. Collecting granular data from various AA and NHPI communities and subgroups. By utilizing categorized data, we can implement targeted measures to achieve more equitable economic development and better address the complex issues faced by diverse communities.
Acknowledgements and Commitment
I would like to sincerely thank the community leaders and organizations that have shared their expertise and collaborated with us. Throughout my life, I have witnessed firsthand how good jobs can change people’s lives. We will continue to strive towards helping every AA and NHPI worker and their families achieve the American Dream.
Conclusion
Encouraging AA and NHPI workers to raise their voices is crucial for building a more inclusive and equitable society. As the Acting Secretary of Labor, I am committed to empowering and protecting the rights of AA and NHPI workers, ensuring their representation, and listening to their concerns. Together, we can create better job opportunities and pave the way for the realization of the American Dream for all.