Brothers and Sisters,

We all will be forever touched by the disaster this country is going through. Union members also mourn losses. Thousands of union members worked at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. IBEW local 3 in New York have 52 members missing. All 200 members of IBEW local 26 escaped safely from the Pentagon.

What can we do? We can provide financial support. Besides the Red Cross and United Way there are other disaster relief funds where donations are needed: For a minimum donation of $1.00 to the IBEW Relief Fund, you can proudly wear the "An Injury To One, Is An Injury To All" button. Check with your union officer or steward for details.

Also, consider the Union Community Fund: Labor's charity, the Union Community Fund, is putting together a relief fund for our brothers and sisters in need in New York City and the Washington, D.C., area. Please make checks payable to the UNION COMMUNITY FUND, and designate them for the Sept. 11 Relief Fund. Mail to Union Community Fund, 815 16th St.N.W. Washington,D.C. 20006. Donations also may be made online at www.unioncommunityfund.org. Also New York City Central Labor Council Disaster Fund: Mail checks to NYC Central Labor Council Disaster Fund, 386 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016. Call 212-685-9552 for more information. www.nycclc.org

Please take a few minutes today to pray for all the people affected by this terrible event. Also pray for the safe return of all our delegates to the International Convention.
posted by IBEW 1613 Sunday, September 16, 2001

Union Members Mourn Losses, Pray for Survivors

Scores of unions have members who worked in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, which were attacked Tuesday by terrorist airline hijackers. Hundreds are feared dead and the fates of many others are unknown.

Unions report the following:

Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees: HERE Local 100 President Bill Grandfield said some 270 members worked at the Windows on the World restaurant on floors 106 and 107 of the World Trade Center Building 1. About 70 were on duty Tuesday morning. Another 30 Local 100 members staffed the cafeteria in the World Trade Center Building 7, which also collapsed.

Communications Workers of America: As of 12 p.m. Thursday, CWA President Morton Bahr said CWA casualties included five Verizon workers (two of whom were at the Pentagon); one worker at each of the television networks, NBC and ABC; two Port Authority workers; and one retired member who perished aboard an airliner used in the terrorist attack. In addition, 204 members are unaccounted for.

SEIU: A spokesman for SEIU Local 32BJ, which represents about 1000 building maintenance workers at the World Trade Center, said some 350 local members were on duty at the time of the attack. The workers—porters, cleaners, elevator operators and maintenance workers—were spread throughout all the floors of the towers. It is not known how many were able to escape. The other Local 32BJ members work evening and night shifts and escaped the attack. The SEIU Firemen and Oilers local in New York City represents a number of building engineers at the World Trade Center. At the Pentagon more than 200 janitors represented by SEIU local 82 all escaped unharmed.

AFGE: About 235 members of three AFGE locals worked in the World Trade Center complex for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. Members of two additional AFGE locals worked in the Pentagon as Army employees and staff in the office of the Secretary of Defense and as Air Force employees. AFGE has no information about where these workers were during the attacks or their conditions.

AFSCME: The number of missing AFSCME District Council 37 emergency services workers has been lowered from 100 to 45. AFSCME DC 37 represents emergency medical technicians and Red Cross workers. In addition, a meeting of the AFSCME-related Cultural Institutions Retirement Systems trustees was scheduled for 9:30 A.M. the day of the attack in Building 1. The status of attendees and office workers is unknown.

AFT: Three District of Columbia teachers were onboard the hijacked American Airlines jet that slammed into the Pentagon. At least nine schools in south Manhattan where other AFT members worked have been abandoned.

Airline workers: The four hijacked airliners used in Tuesday's terrorist attacks carried a total of 233 passengers, 26 flight attendants and eight pilots.

ILA: The east cost Longshoremen's union, the ILA, had offices on the 19th and 20th floors of one of the World Trade Center buildings. The employees at the ILA Medical and Clinical Services fund offices did escape the attack. The ILA headquarters building in south Manhattan is just a few block from the site of recovery eforts and is closed until at least Monday.

Public Employees Federation: This joint SEIU/AFT union organization has three major offices in the World Trade Center with approximately 300 members. Most are accounted for, but 50 to 75 members are not.

OPEIU: There are 16 missing members of OPEIU local 153 who worked in the trade center building.

Electrical Workers: Fifty-two members of IBEW Local 3 are reported missing in New York. At the Pentagon all 200 members of IBEW local 26 escaped safely.

Operating Engineers: Two members of Local 2 are reported dead and six are missing. Locals 30 and 94 had 30 members on the job and are trying to track them down.

Other building trades workers: Building trades workers, including Painters and Allied Trades members, Laborers and steam fitters worked on several construction projects in both World Trade Center towers. Many are unaccounted for, according to New York City Building and Construction Trades Council President Edward Malloy.

Postal Workers: Workers at U.S. Postal Service facilities in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon all escaped injury, according to the APWU.

Carpenters: Hundreds of members of the New York City District Council of Carpenters are reported missing.

Civil Service Employees Association: Between 150 and 200 members of this AFSCME affiliate worked in the World Trade Center. More than 40 are unaccounted for.

Unemployment: Some estimates suggest that 75,000-100,000 people will be unemployed as a result of the attacks.
posted by IBEW 1613 Sunday, September 16, 2001