was lower than the national average of 7.4 in 2013 (presently, the national rate is 6.3 percent). At 5.2 percent, the overall unemployment rate among AAPIs in the U.S. AAPIs represent over 30 countries and ethnic groups, and speak over 100 languages.ĪAPI diversity is reflected in the different ways AAPI communities are faring as the economy recovers. I say communities, plural, because it is important to recognize the diversity within this group. From protections against misclassification and wage theft to reducing exposure to dangerous chemicals, the Department of Labor’s priorities are also priorities for AAPI communities.
#WATCHING TIME MOVE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD STORY DRIVERS#
The Chinese Railroad Workers have been followed by generations of AAPI immigrants and their descendants who play an integral role in the American labor force-from Filipino health care workers to Korean grocers to South Asian taxi drivers to Vietnamese nail salon workers-but who are often the most vulnerable workers. But never until now has this tribute been bestowed on an Asian-American group or individual.Īt the Labor Department, we don’t just honor yesterday’s workers we advocate for today’s workers. As new towns sprung up along the rail line, it changed where Americans lived, spurred westward.
Among those enshrined there: César Chávez, Helen Keller, Frances Perkins, the 9/11 Rescue Workers and the Workers of the Memphis Sanitation Strike. It caused trade to flourish, and by 1880, the railroad was moving 50m worth of freight each year. In addition to connecting the nation and building its infrastructure, they also advanced American ideals of equal opportunity and the dignity of work for everyone, immigrant and American-born alike.įor their courage and sacrifice, and in recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, today I inducted the Chinese Railroad Workers into the Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor. Nevertheless, the Chinese Railroad Workers courageously took a stand to organize for fairer wages and safer working conditions. They also faced prejudice, low wages and social isolation. They laid tracks on terrain that rose 7,000 feet in less than 100 miles, chipped away at the granite and planted explosives that were used to blast tunnels through the treacherous Sierra Nevada Mountains. Many of these workers died from the harsh winters and brutal conditions. The railroad reduced it to a single week.īut too often lost in discussions of this awe-inspiring achievement is the contribution of the approximately 12,000 Chinese laborers who took on the grueling task of completing the western section of the track. Before its completion, cross-country travel took six months. It was one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the 19th century, connecting the country from coast-to-coast, facilitating commerce and opening the door for massive economic expansion. A groundbreaking, breathtaking history of the Chinese workers who built the Transcontinental Railroad, helping to forge modern America only to disappear into. One hundred forty-five years ago tomorrow, May 10, the word “DONE” was telegraphed to Washington D.C., sending word that the final spike had been driven in to complete the First Transcontinental Railroad.
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