UCLA Labor Center, KIWA to Release Report on Labor and Housing Conditions of Immigrant Workers in Koreatown’s Restaurants

MEDIA ADVISORY: Oct. 17, 2023

CONTACT: Emily Jo Wharry, UCLA Labor Center, emilyjowharry@g.ucla.edu, (310) 617-5609

Press Briefing: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 10:00 a.m. PT (RSVP)

UCLA Labor Center, KIWA to Release Report on Labor and Housing Conditions of Immigrant Workers in Koreatown’s Restaurants

The report’s analysis sheds light on restaurant workers experiencing low wages, unfair labor practices, significant poverty levels, and housing insecurity.

LOS ANGELES — Experts from the UCLA Labor Center and KIWA (Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance) will share top findings from their latest report, “Overcooked & Underserved: The Challenges of Koreatown’s Restaurant Workers,” published in partnership with Cal Poly Pomona and San Diego State University.

The report examines the labor and housing conditions of immigrant workers in Koreatown’s restaurants, shedding light on their experiences with low wages, unfair labor practices, significant poverty levels, and housing insecurity using publicly available demographic, labor, and industry data, as well as an analysis of 338 worker surveys and 12 worker interviews.

During the briefing, a restaurant worker, business owner, and resident of Koreatown will also share their firsthand experiences navigating the increasingly precarious labor and housing conditions of Koreatown, a vibrant Los Angeles neighborhood at the center of Los Angeles’ economy, known for both its high concentration of immigrant workers and low-wage employment opportunities.

WHAT: Press briefing with researchers from the UCLA Labor Center and KIWA, as well as Koreatown workers, business owners, and Koreatown residents, who will discuss new report findings on the labor and housing conditions of immigrant workers in Koreatown’s restaurants.

WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. PT.

WHERE: Zoom. Click here to RSVP, or visit: https://bit.ly/PC-OU

WHO:

Alexandra Suh, Executive Director, KIWA
Brady Collins, Policy and Research Manager, KIWA
Saba Waheed, Research Director, UCLA Labor Center
Eun Sun Choi, Koreatown Restaurant Worker (Korean speaker)
Brian Lee, Koreatown Business Owner, Open Market
Jesus Vicente, Koreatown Resident (Spanish speaker)

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About the UCLA Labor Center:

The UCLA Labor Center believes that a public university belongs to the people and should advance quality education and employment for all. Every day we bring together workers, students, faculty, and policymakers to address the most critical issues facing working people today. Our research, education, and policy work lifts industry standards, creates jobs that are good for communities, and strengthens immigrant rights, especially for students and youth. The UCLA Labor Center is housed in the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, a multidisciplinary research center dedicated to the study, teaching, and discussion of labor and employment issues at UCLA. Learn more: https://labor.ucla.edu/

About KIWA (Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance):

Founded in 1992, KIWA (Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance) builds power with immigrant workers and renters to bring about a more just and inclusive Los Angeles. One of the nation’s most established worker centers, KIWA organizes primarily Korean and Latino workers, with a focus on the restaurant and retail industries, in Koreatown and beyond. KIWA aligns strategic worker and community organizing with policy change, leadership development, research, services, and coalition-building. Because of their immense impact on workers’ lives, KIWA also works in the areas of civic justice, economic policy, immigration, housing policy, and land-use reform. Learn more: https://kiwa.org/