Norwalk labor leader honored as Woman of the Year

Supervisor Janice Hahn and Cristina Lujan (courtesy photo).

NORWALK – Cristina Lujan, a Norwalk resident who emerged as a leader of a recent workers’ strike for fairer compensation at the Jon Donaire Desserts in Santa Fe Springs, was honored Monday as Supervisor Janice Hahn’s Woman of the Year. 

“I was honored to have had the chance to walk the picket line with the workers of Jon Donaire Desserts, side by side with Cristina. Now it’s our turn to honor her,” said Hahn, who joined the striking workers in December and January.

Lujan and her fellow members of the Bakery and Confectionery Workers International Union of America at the Jon Donaire Desserts plant in Santa Fe Springs were on the picket line for 113 days, including through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. 

An agreement was reached with management in late January that gives workers better wages and benefits, more reliable schedules, and safer working conditions.

A daughter of Mexican immigrants who grew up in Whittier, Lujan now calls Norwalk home. She has worked at Jon Donaire for 19 years. Outside of work, Lujan enjoys reading and spending time with her children, Angela, Efren, and Jose Luis. 

“She embodies the sacrifice and commitment to justice that should be an inspiration to us all,” added Hahn. “Lujan’s commitment to her work, to making her workplace fairer for all, and to her family serves as a reminder of the immense role that women play in making our communities thrive.”

The luncheon Monday by the Los Angeles County Women’s Commission celebrated Lujan as well as the honorees from the other Supervisorial Districts.