[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1292-E1293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




A TRIBUTE TO THE JEWISH LABOR COMMITTEE AND ITS WESTERN REGION BASED IN 
       LOS ANGELES ON THE OCCASION OF THE JLC'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 3, 2009

  Ms. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the Jewish Labor Committee and the committee's Western Region, based in 
Los Angeles, California, on the occasion of the national non-profit 
organization's 75th anniversary of fighting to protect the rights of 
working families in our country.
  In 1934, the national Jewish Labor Committee (JLC) formed on New 
York's Lower East Side by a coalition of labor and Jewish groups that 
recognized that European Nazism threatened the rights of trade 
unionists and Jews. That same year, the committee's ``Western Region'' 
formed in Los Angeles.
  With its funding drawn primarily from labor union members and the 
Jewish community, the JLC focused its resources on saving unionists and 
other political prisoners from Nazi tyranny in Europe during World War 
II. Alerting the world to the Nazi/Fascist threat, the JLC worked 
tirelessly with its labor affiliates to defeat Hitler by organizing 
economic boycotts of German-made products and raising large amounts of 
money for anti-Nazi partisan fighters. Immediately following the war, 
the JLC helped thousands of people, especially war orphans, survive 
Displaced Persons camps and emigrate to America and the then-forming 
state of Israel.
  Recognizing post-war changing labor patterns, the JLC's Western 
Region developed deep relationships with Latino, African American and 
Asian communities in Los Angeles, continuing the fight for social 
justice on political fronts. The JLC's Western Region fought to elect 
minority candidates, gain fair housing, eradicate racial 
discrimination, and defeat anti-labor campaigns.
  In 1949, the JLC's Western Region worked with the AFL Central Labor 
Council, the CIO Council, The Anti Defamation League, American Jewish 
Congress, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People, Japanese American Citizens League, the Mexican-American 
oriented Community Services Organization, and many religious 
organizations, to rally behind my father, the late Congressman Edward 
Roybal, who was then a Los Angeles City Councilman as he proposed the 
Fair Employment Practices Ordinance. Eight years later, in 1958, the 
JLC's Western Region joined a coalition of labor, minority and 
religious civil rights groups to prevent California from becoming a 
Right-to-Work state.
  In 2009, under the current leadership of President Floyd Glen-
Lambert, the Jewish Labor Committee Western Region still fights anti-
labor campaigns, most notably by pushing for passage of the Employee 
Free Choice Act in partnership with the Los Angeles County Federation 
of Labor.
  To remind the community how critical it is for workers to safeguard 
organized representation to bargain for fair wages, benefits and 
conditions, the JLC holds annual Labor Passover Seders and continues to 
work with labor and Jewish businesses to resolve disputes. The JLC is 
also forming a new Ethnic Coalition to address persistent labor issues.
  Under the auspices of Captive Daughters of the Los Angeles Unity 
Coalition, the JLC's Western Region is using a grant to make labor 
aware of human trafficking, the fastest growing crime in America. The 
JLC will never forget how quickly slave labor burgeoned in Europe 
during World War II and remains committed to its eradication.
  As an affiliate of the Labor Task Force for Universal Healthcare, the 
JLC's Western Region is making headway on another crucial issue to 
workers--bringing health care reform to California and the nation. With 
state budget cuts looming, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee and the 
JLC's Western Region are also lobbying state legislators on many other 
critical issues, including how budget cuts will affect our most 
vulnerable citizens who need in-home health care to avoid being forced 
into nursing homes and the need for fair wages for in-home health care 
givers.
  Finally, in keeping with the Jewish principle of Tikun Olam, which 
means ``to repair the

[[Page E1293]]

world,'' the JLC's Western Region is planning a training program for 
foster youth who are about to find their first jobs. In an effort to 
help them succeed, the training program is designed to give them an in-
depth understanding of the legal, social and political intricacies of 
the workplace.
  To mark the national organization's 75 year anniversary, the 
committee's Western Region is holding an awards brunch on June 14 at 
the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency Hotel in Los Angeles at which a number 
of honorees will be recognized for their outstanding service to our 
communities. The honorees are: State Controller John Chiang; Executive 
Liaison for Universal Pictures James D. Brubaker; President/CEO of the 
National Association for the Hispanic Elderly Dr. Carmela Lacayo; and 
Business Manager, Southern California District Council of Laborers, 
Mike Quevedo Jr.
  Madam Speaker, as the Jewish Labor Committee observes this milestone 
and continues the fight for social and political justice in Los 
Angeles, California and throughout our great nation, I ask my 
colleagues to please join me in commending everyone involved with the 
national JLC and its Western Region as well as this year's honorees for 
their continued commitment to securing fairness for all working 
families. I extend to them my best wishes for many more successful 
years ahead.

                          ____________________