AFL-CIO Praised for Riot Relief

Reps. Maxine Waters and Julian Dixon joined community leaders last week in recognizing the efforts of the AFL-CIO in helping local families and community organizations since the April-May riots.

In a ceremony at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO office at 2130 W. 9th St., Waters (D-Los Angeles) presented the federation with a congressional resolution praising its efforts. The federation represents more than 700,000 union members.

Since the riots, the AFL-CIO has distributed more than 281,000 pounds of food and donated two vans, four computers, three printers, a food freezer, an air conditioner and a copying machine to three community groups, said Bill Robinson, executive secretary-treasurer of the county labor federation. The recipients were All People’s Christian Center, the South Central Multipurpose Senior Citizens Center and the Central American Refugee Center.

“We want to help as long as the need is there and the money holds out,” Robinson said.

The Food and Emergency Program of Labor Community Services also received money from the AFL-CIO to help union members with rent and mortgage payments.

In addition to the donations of food, money and equipment, the AFL-CIO plans to invest $75 million in union pension funds to develop affordable housing in Los Angeles beginning early next year, Robinson said.

“If you want a model of what it will take to make this city whole again, look at what the AFL-CIO has done,” said Dixon (D-Los Angeles). “No one has heard much about it, but their work has touched tens of thousands of families. That’s powerful.”