PRESS RELEASE                                            For information contact:
May 9, 2014                                                  fapac@fapac.org           

FAPAC APPLAUDS THE INDUCTION OF THE CHINESE RAILROAD WORKERS INTO THE LABOR HALL OF HONOR

WASHINGTON – Today Labor Secretary Thomas Perez spoke on the induction of the Chinese Railroad Workers as an injustice to be righted in the presence of some of the descendents of the workers. He spoke forcefully of the contributions of these “aliens and non-aliens” in building the Transcontinental Railroad on America’s history of becoming a nation. These workers organized to fight for their rights. Though they failed the act of bravery earned them a place in the Department’s Labor Hall of Honor.

This is another milestone on the road in addressing many of the past discrimination of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, following the earlier Congressional Resolutions to apologize for the internment of Japanese and the denial of citizenship to Chinese under the China Exclusion Act of 1882. America’s democracy values lie in its ability to recognize these injustice and can stand up to admit them.

The Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) witnessed the induction with a number of other AAPI organizations and will continue its efforts to promote equal opportunity and diversity since 1985 by collaboration and working with other organizations such as the National Coalition for Equity in Public Service (NCEPS).

FAPAC is organized exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. FAPAC is a non-profit, non-partisan organization representing the interests of over 155,000 civilian and military APA employees in the Federal and District of Columbia governments of all ranks. For more information, please visit www.fapac.org.