Union Commemorates 9/11; Sets Petition Campaign for Recognition in the 9/11 Museum

Train Operator Nelson Diamante, Jr. was given a 9/11 medal for his father, a Structure Maintainer, who died of 9/11 illnesses
Train Operator Nelson Diamante, Jr. was given a 9/11 medal for his father, a Structure Maintainer, who died of 9/11 illnesses

SEPTEMBER 7 -- Eight Union members who were active in the 9/11 Rescue and Recovery effort on 9/11/2001 and the days after, and who subsequently were granted compensation by the federal government, were awarded medals by union leadership at the Union Hall in our annual 9/11 commemoration event. One member, Structure Maintainer Nelson Diamante, who died of 9/11 related illness, was given the medal posthumously, with his son, a Train Operator, receiving it on his behalf.

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In remarks to assembled media outlets, union officers and 9/11 responders, President Tony Utano said, "Transit workers always respond to catastrophes -- but we never get recognized. We had people down there cutting steel, pumping the water, hooking up generators, dump trucks, moving trains and buses." He added that transit workers were the crucial ones who cleared debris and smashed vehicles so that first responders could get to the pile. He noted that the National September 11th Memorial and Museum, located near the site where the towers went down, does not include transit workers in their exhibit space that memorializes the rescue and recovery response. View his remarks here.

"We are going to get into that museum, because we deserve to be in that museum," he said. The union has started a petition drive on change.org asking the September 11th Museum to do just that. The petition is currently over 22,000 signatures and you can sign it here.

You can see photos from our 9/11 event here.