RWDSU Local 21: Standing with Appalachia in the Fight Against Addiction

RWDSU Local 21 joined thousands at the Healing Appalachia music festival this September, raising awareness and connecting people in recovery with resources and opportunities. The annual event brings music and community together to support those impacted by addiction across the Appalachian region and Local 21 was proud to be part of it showing the community in recovery how a union can be part of that support system.

The local proudly represents a diverse group of hardworking people from factory workers and truck drivers to nursing home workers to bakery workers and more. Whether someone is looking for a union job in one of our represented workplaces or wants to organize their own, Local 21 is there to support them every step of the way.

Together, RWDSU Local 21 fights for better wages, affordable healthcare, safer working conditions, and a strong, united voice on the job. A union contract doesn’t just bring protections – it brings power. And for many people, especially those in recovery, that stability can be life-changing.

Local 21 even hosts regular NA and AA meetings at its union hall, because solidarity means supporting each other through life’s toughest moments. At RWDSU Local 21, you’re part of a family that looks out for one another—not just on the job, but in every aspect of life.

Alex Ware, President of RWDSU Local 21 emphasized the importance of this work sharing “addiction has touched so many families in our communities, including our union family. At Local 21, we believe in new beginnings and in the power of good union jobs to change lives. Many of our members have overcome struggles with addiction and found stability, community, and dignity through union work and in the connections made through our union. That’s why we’re proud to support Healing Appalachia and to be here helping people see that recovery can lead to real opportunity.”

That’s why Local 21’s participation at Healing Appalachia was so meaningful. Members were on the ground connecting with festival-goers, many in recovery themselves, sharing information about union jobs, and highlighting how a strong union contract can provide the security, dignity, and opportunity that are crucial in the recovery journey.

In participating in the Healing Appalachia festival, RWDSU Local 21 reinforced the union’s commitment not only to protecting workers on the job but also to supporting their broader journey toward recovery and resilience. For anyone looking for a hand up – not a hand out – union work can be the path to respect, dignity, and a real voice at work.