1 min read

Season 6, Episode 32

Championing labor rights and community empowerment

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Guest Name:


Davida Russell

Guest Website:


North Coast Area Labor Federation 

Guest Social Media:


Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

LinkedIn

Supportive Documents:


Davida Russell, Vice President of the North Coast Area Labor Federation, joined America's Work Force Union Podcast to share her inspiring journey from union member to prominent labor leader. 

Russell's journey began with her unexpected rise to union leadership. Initially reluctant to engage deeply with union activities, her defiance against unfair work conditions led her to become a union president while on administrative leave from her job as a bus driver. This experience not only shaped her career but also underscored the importance of strong leadership in advocating for workers' rights.

The conversation then shifted to the current challenges facing the labor movement. Russell emphasized the rapid changes and attacks on labor rights, noting the need for strategic unity among labor, civil rights and political organizations. She acknowledged the fear and uncertainty of the current challenges facing workers, but remained confident in the collective power of these groups to combat and overcome the challenges. 

Finally, Russell discussed the broader implications of these challenges on communities, particularly African Americans. She stressed that the effects of political and economic shifts are felt across all demographics and urged a unified response to ensure equitable and sustainable progress. Her call to action was clear: The labor movement must continue to fight for quality jobs and equality in life for everyone, drawing on past experiences to navigate the present and future.

Listen to the full episode to hear more from Davida Russell on the power of unity and resilience in the labor movement.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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