For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Fred Yamashita of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).
Fred Yamashita is a native of Detroit who has served as the executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO since November 2017. Yamashita brings more than 25 years of union organizing experience to the federation, starting his career in organized labor with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99. From 2015 to 2017, Yamashita served as chair of the Pima Area Labor Federation in Tucson. Prior to working in the labor movement, Yamashita worked on the floor in the grocery industry for 20 years.