Joann Lo: Labor Organizer
 Salary: $30,000 - $60,000
Joann Lo loves her job — but not for the usual reasons of power and money.
“Doing what I do is both mentally and physically fulfilling,” the Taiwanese American says. “A labor organizer works for social justice and an end to the exploitation of workers. We fight for their rights, organize their workplace, and help make changes for the better.”
Lo works for the United Garments Center, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization. The Yale graduate admits that her job entails a lot of sacrifice. “The hours are long and the work is hard. Being a people’s person is very important.”
The labor organizer’s primary goal is to represent and improve the conditions of workers by, for example, increasing their wages or reducing their hours on the job. Employment growth nation-wide for the field is projected to be 18 percent from 1998 to 2008 and 25 percent in California.
The salary of a labor organizer varies immensely. According to the latest statistics by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mid-range wages in 1998 were between $28,000 and $50,200, and $34,300 to $59,000 in California.
“The pay depends on who is being represented,” Lo notes. “If the union stands for richer patrons, the pay can be quite high, but if you are representing minimum wage workers, the salary is lower.” Several groups, such as AFL-CIO and Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), target and empower APA workers, Lo points out.
Even though California workers are comprised of many races, there are few Asians in the labor-organizing field. Lo is bent on breaking the social barriers that exist within the job. Many Latino workers, for instance, are nervous when they speak to her. Often, she says, their boss is Asian American.
“That’s why they are amazed when I speak to them in Spanish,” Lo chuckles. “But all races come together when fighting for the rights of employees.”
As a labor organizer for garment workers, Lo fights for fair conditions for her clients.
“Several manufacturers pay their workers less than minimum wage,” she says. “They can commit this crime for two reasons. Firstly, the government doesn’t do enough to enforce labor laws. Secondly, most of the workers are illegal immigrants. They don’t speak out for fear of being deported.
“We conduct workshops whenever we can to educate the workers on their rights. These workers often encourage their colleagues to speak out. They learn how to use the media to let the public know about their unfair working conditions.”
There isn’t any particular field that must be studied in college in order to become a labor organizer, but a bachelor’s degree is usually required. Lo studied environmental biology, but she was also heavily involved in student activism.
Lo has strong, if not cautionary, words of encouragement for anyone who plans on becoming a labor organizer. “I find my job physically and mentally fulfilling, but you have to be committed to social change to be successful as a labor organizer.”
For people interested in becoming a labor organizer, contact the APALA organizing director at 818-789-1579, or the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute at 800-848-3021. |
