NASHVILLE, TN — On Tuesday, June 30th, working-class hero and president of the Central Labor Council (CLC) of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Vonda McDaniel, passed away, leaving behind a legacy of over 30 years of service in the labor movement, according to the CLC. In a statement following McDaniel’s passing, representatives of the CLC described McDaniel as a visionary leader and a bridge builder who spent her life bringing together people from all areas of the community to build multi-racial, working-class power. The CLC said McDaniel empowered the people around her to learn to organize and take action, embodying the courage of the labor movement’s history while embracing innovation and moving the movement forward.
“She believed deeply that unions were for everyone and was committed to making life better for working families in Tennessee and the South,” representatives for the CLC said. “Throughout her tenure as CLC President, Vonda helped build and strengthen movement infrastructure across Nashville and the state.”
Among Vonda McDaniel’s long list of accomplishments, the CLC noted that she was a founding member of Stand Up Nashville, the Nashville Justice League, Music City Construction Careers (MC3), and Tennessee for All. They said McDaniel deeply believed in building a more representative and inclusive labor movement, and to that end, intentionally invested in the leadership of Black union members and mentored the next generation of union leaders and activists. She also worked tirelessly to integrate the fight for working people into her faith community, as she was a devoted member of her church, First Baptist Church Capitol Hill.
Representatives of the CLC said McDaniel joined the United Rubber Workers (URW) in 1992 at the Bridgestone-Firestone LaVergne Plant, where she worked for more than 30 years. She became a Shop Steward shortly after joining the URW, which merged with the United Steelworkers (USW) in 1995. It was at this time that McDaniel trained in the USW’s Women of Steel initiative, which equipped her with vital tools to become a leader in the union and in her community, and afterward became a program trainer herself.
After serving 10 years as the Union Pension and Insurance Representative for USW Local 1055L, McDaniel was elected President of the CLC of Nashville and Middle Tennessee in 2013. McDaniel also served as Vice President of the AFL-CIO Executive Council from 2017 until June 2026.
“Vonda’s legacy calls us to carry forward the work to organize unions for everyone, build bridges between community and labor, fight for racial and immigrant justice, and struggle for a better South and a better future for all. Honor Vonda by joining or forming a union,” representatives of the CLC said. “We mourn the loss of an irreplaceable leader, and we will continue to fight like hell to realize her vision.”
Representatives for the Middle Tennessee branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) said that McDaniel notably had a particular passion for emboldening and empowering younger generations of workers. They said McDaniel remained at the forefront of training, developing young workers and new organizers to carry on the struggle for workers’ rights for years to come. Representatives for PSL said McDaniel supported, encouraged, and defended militant unionists while also welcoming newer workers by serving as many people’s first teacher and counselor on the subject of class solidarity.
The CLC said McDaniel was set to retire from her leadership at their organization at the end of 2026 and embark on a new journey as Co-Executive Director of the Highlander Center.
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