Ohio - A Clean, Well-Lighted Place
State-of-the-Art Davida Russell, a bus driver for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and president of Local 744, led an effort to help modernize the Transportation Service Center’s old garage.
State-of-the-Art Davida Russell, a bus driver for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and president of Local 744, led an effort to help modernize the Transportation Service Center’s old garage.
Photo Credit:
Janet Century
Cleveland, Ohio
Davida Russell knows that operating a public transit vehicle in an urban center is a stressful, unhealthy job. She’s driven buses for more than two decades. “Soon as you hit the road, you face all kinds of challenges—from traffic congestion and air pollution to threats of physical assault,” she says. “By the time you get home, you’re grouchy and completely exhausted.”
Russell is president of Local 744 of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE)/AFSCME Local 4. She works for the Transportation Service Center of the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, which employs 135 drivers and monitors. Each day, these hard-working AFSCME members clock more than 3,360 miles transporting 3,500 “medically fragile students” to various job centers and schools.
For more than 40 years, these workers operated out of a dingy and dirty garage. “Just the sight of the place drained your energy. But because there’s a special group of very sensitive children and adults to transport, we have to be at our best at all times, to ensure that they reach their destinations safely,” says Russell.
Eight years ago, the county board decided to renovate the garage, and the superintendent reached out to the union for ideas. The workers jumped at the opportunity. With management’s encouragement, they created an ambitious plan. Today, the old garage has been transformed into a modern “state-of-the-art” two-story complex with furnished offices and conference rooms, a gym, a kitchen, a spacious lounge and picnic areas.
“When I saw the facility, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” exclaims AFSCME Pres. Gerald McEntee. “It’s truly remarkable what good labor/management relations can do to improve workplace conditions.”
“The pleasant atmosphere has made a huge difference in the attitudes of workers,” Russell adds. “Now, they can rest and relax and have peace of mind before getting back on the road.”
Russell recalls that when the project was first considered and management asked for their input, “that was a breath of fresh air. We finally got respect. It was also the beginning of an equal partnership that has served us well, especially the developmentally disabled citizens of Cuyahoga County.”
