Diana Ornelas

Diana Ornelas is a Western States organizer and a member of Local 92 (Los Angeles). Before becoming an organizer, she worked as a city bus driver in Ventura County. Her path in the labor movement began in 2018 while working as a cement truck driver at a nonunion company, where she became a union activist and helped coworkers successfully organize their workplace. That experience shaped her commitment to ensuring workers have a voice on the job.

Ornelas is currently focusing on the Siemens campaign in Sacramento. Her work includes educating workers about their federal rights to organize, conducting face-to-face meetings, performing outreach, making house visits and helping build strong networks of worker support. In the past year, she has been part of two major organizing wins: Trojan Battery in Southern California and a campaign at Mountain Cement in Laramie, Wyoming, the largest union victory in that area in 15 years.

A first-generation Mexican American born to immigrant parents, Ornelas is the first in her family to pursue higher education. She credits her upbringing with instilling humility, resilience and a commitment to speaking up for others. She is passionate about helping workers find their voice, advocating for fairness in the workplace and supporting her community.