(l-r) MABSTOA Officer Monique Rondon, Labor Press CEO Neal Tepel, Pres. Richard Davis, Nancy Galvet, Mario Galvet, Harriette Goodridge-Seymour, Emblem Health CEO Karen Ignagni, and Local 100 Health Benefits Director Chris Lightbourne

Galvet, James Given "Hero of Labor" Award for Work at 9/11

OCTOBER 9 -- EEM Mario Galvet and Conductor Guilaine James were given "Hero of Labor" awards for their work during the 9/11 rescue and recovery effort 23 years ago. The awards event, sponsored by Labor Press and Emblem Health, took place at Emblem's offices at 55 Water Street in lower Manhattan. As an EEM, Galvet worked on restoring radio communications after the towers sent down. James was a CTA at the time, assigned to clean debris with a paper mask and a tyvek suit that ripped during the clean-up. James didn't attend the ceremony due to respiratory problems. She retired from NYCT in 2012.

In his remarks, Galvet said he was accepting the award "on behalf of the nearly 4,000 TWU Local 100 members who responded to Ground Zero. Our members were the largest presence at Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the towers," he said. "It was only our heavy duty equipment -- hundreds of trucks, 40-ton cranes that were brought down by barge from the 207th Street Yard, generators, fuel trucks, hundreds if not thousands of oxy-acetylene tanks to do all the cutting, front loaders bought in to clean all the debris from the towers. It was our guys who cleared that so that all the rescue crews could come in."

The awards were presented by Emblem Health CEO Karen Ignagni and Labor Press CEO Neal Tepel.

College Point Mourns Cleaner Ashook Ramnath, 55

OCTOBER 8 -- The College Point Depot is mourning the loss of Cleaner Ashook Ramnath, who passed away on October 6 at the age of 55 of a heart attack. He had six years of service with MTA Bus. He leaves his wife Sattie Devi Ramnath to mourn. Buses will leave the Depot at 5:40 PM on Thursday, October 10th, to bring mourners to the Leahy McDonald Funeral Home at 111-02 Atlantic Avenue, in South Richmond Hill, NY 11419. There will be a viewing there from 6PM to 9PM.

Mike Capocci, Division Chair for MTA Bus expressed his condolences to the family and urged members to attend. A morning viewing will take place at the funeral home on Friday, October 11th from 6AM to 8:30AM, and then a cremation will follow at St. Michael's Crematorium at 72-02 Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst.

Union Holds 2nd Commemoration at 9/11 Museum

SEPTEMBER 18 -- Eight TWU Local 100 members who served at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks were presented with commemorative medals at a ceremony held within the National September 11th Memorial and Museum on September 18th. President Richard Davis presented the medals, which are given to transit workers who suffered severe illnesses or injuries from their service on the pile. Union leadership, along with 9/11 Museum President Elizabeth Hillman and Chief Curator Jan Ramirez, also presented for public viewing a showcase in the Museum's Foundation Hall, dedicated to transit worker artfacts used in the rescue and recovery effort, including a flashlight, work vest, hard hat, and ID card. Also on display at the Museum is a NY Times photograph from September 12th, showing a Track Worker on the pile manning a fire hose.

In his remarks at the awarding of the medals (one of which was given posthumously and accepted by the widow and children of deceased TEMM John Dunne), President Davis said, "This exhibit is not just a display of artifacts; it's testament to the bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering spirit of the men and women who stepped forward without hesitation."

Look for complete coverage of the event in the next edition of the Transport Workers Bulletin.