Page 11 - Work Force March 2021

Inherited strength fuels Wallace-Russo
assume a a a leadership position Being the strong-willed woman that that she is O’Gorman simply reminds her detractors that that if she was not afraid to to to leave El Salvador and immigrate to to to to the the United States there is no no need to to to to be be afraid to to to to be be a a a a a a a a a a a a union leader It’s a a a a a a a a a a a a mindset that she passes on on to to to other female activists and immigrants Although there there are many women in in in leadership positions in in in CSEA O’Gorman thinks there there should be more However many women say that they don’t have the the the time time due to professional and personal responsibilities Sometimes they are just afraid “I “I tell them ‘look at me do I I I look look afraid?’” said O’Gorman “If you you want changes in in our union and in in life you you have to to take the the risk there’s no time to to be afraid ”
According to recent statistics more than 40 percent of employed working mothers are the the the sole breadwinners in in in in in their home which is why O’Gorman thinks a a a a a a a strong
female presence in in in in leadership is paramount “It’s really a a a a a a a a a a matter of necessity ”
said O’Gorman “Other people decide that women don’t get equal pay even though we we are are providing for our families because we we are are not seated at at the table ”
ALBANY — Since starting work at at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance in in in 1985 Kim Wallace-Russo
has served in in in numerous CSEA leadership roles Throughout her years as a a a a a a CSEA activist those roles have included State Department of Taxation and Finance (Albany)
Local President Capital Region Treasurer and and Secretary Board
of of Directors Representative and and chair of of CSEA’s Statewide Executive Committee As Wallace-Russo
now embarks on on a a a a a a a new role as the the union’s Statewide PEOPLE Coordinator she reflected on on the the roots of her activism “I grew up in in a a a a a a a close-knit family with a a a a a a a father who was the the Chief of Police in in our small town Traditional gender roles was not something I spent much time thinking about ”
Wallace-Russo
said “As an an adult I have come to understand the the sheer force of nature that the the the women in my life truly are are My mother raised a a a a a a a a a a a family took care of things at home and ran a a a a a a a a a a a business! She didn’t worry about traditions or or inequities she truly owned her power ”
Her family’s influence has helped Wallace-Russo
throughout her years as as as an activist “Having that modeled for me as as a a a a a a a a a a a a child is is the foundation of of my strength strength strength today ”
she said “I am proud of of that inherited strength strength strength That strength strength strength fuels me me me me sustains me me me me and empowers me me me me to help
others Living with strong
independent women is a a a a a a valuable role model for any person ”
— Therese Assalian
— Wendi Bowie
historical events and trends about women’s rights especially over the past century enables us to to develop broader social policy which could benefit all working families in in the the future ”
said Muscianese “My work work on on the the the CSEA Western Region Women’s Committee has given me the the the opportunity to share my knowledge with other labor activists so
hopefully we can create more inclusive collective bargaining agreements and documents which guide the workplace ”
said Muscianese “The idea is to advocate for policy and and and language changes built around protecting and and and honoring women and and and families families Not only for for union families families but also for for society at large Knowing where where we we came from helps us get to where where we we are going ”
Watts added that Perkins’ life was a a a a a a revelation to her “It’s amazing to me she achieved so
much good for working people ”
Watts said “Perkins would have been notable simply by being the first woman cabinet member as U S S Secretary of Labor but her her legacy also stems from her her additional accomplishments She was largely responsible for the the U S S S S adoption of Social Security unemployment insurance the the federal federal minimum wage and federal federal laws regulating child labor Our lives are better because of her her work ”
In addition to her her CSEA activism Watts served a a a a a a a a a national vice president of of Pride at at at Work AFL-CIO and is on on the the executive board of of the the Rochester Labor Council — Ove Ove Overmyer The Work Force
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Wallace-Russo
Watts finds inspiration in in in labor history ROCHESTER — CSEA Rochester Retirees Local activist Bess Watts has earned distinction among her her contemporaries for her her commitment and advocacy advancing women’s rights rights policy and and fighting for labor rights rights and and LGBTQ equality have always been inspired by the likes of Frances Perkins (1882- 1965) and Mother Jones (died 1930) ”
said Watts “Perkins was intimately aware of of the the struggles of of women in in the the the workplace She witnessed the the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire As a a a a a a a result her life’s work work was dedicated to to making the lives of working women safer and more secure ”
dividends today No one would refute her body of work borders legendary
status For over two decades Watts has paved a a a a a a a a a a a a a remarkable path for future generations to to follow and at at at at at the same time elevated grassroots union activism into a a a a a a a a a true art form Watts who had worked
as an an Interlibrary Loan Specialist/ Senior Clerk at at Monroe Community College and served in in in numerous CSEA CSEA leadership positions including CSEA CSEA Monroe County Local President before retiring in in in in 2019 remembers her early union advocacy days were not neat and orderly She would quickly admit there wasn’t an exact science or or road map to follow when she first started out in in the Labor Movement However she she loved reading labor history and and searched feverishly to to find inspiration and and and motivation
from days gone by and and and the modern world around her “As a a a a a a student of history and and a a a a a a union leader I — Ove Ove Overmyer Watts Perkins March 2021