"It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss, that we, the BMWE family, try to absorb the magnitude of the devastation and horror inflicted upon the innocent victims of the terrorist attack against our nation," said BMWE President Mac A. Fleming in a September 13 statement.

"Such senseless cold-blooded acts are an affront to humanity and freedom. Such despicable acts can never be justified and we condemn all those responsible for these horrific acts against a free nation and its innocent people. Although America has been shaken, we shall not be moved. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the victims and their loved ones affected by this terrible tragedy."

"Our nation has suffered an absolutely terrible tragedy. Words cannot adequately express the depths of our shock, grief and anger. On behalf of transportation labor," said Sonny Hall, President of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, "I extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to all the victims of these terrorist attacks and we stand completely behind the President and leaders in Congress. ... We are deeply moved by the outpouring of aid and goodwill from the working men and women of our country and their unions. They have rushed to aid rescue efforts, comforted those who grieve and given their blood, their food and their hearts."

"American workers and American trade unions are shocked and angered by yesterday’s [September 11, 2001] cowardly acts of terrorism against American citizens," said the September 12 Special Edition of the AFL-CIO’s WorkInProgress. "Thousands of workers and their families are scarred and grieving; thousands more are helping with rescue and aid missions in New York City and at the Pentagon outside Washington, DC."

"Among the deaths resulting from the airliner crashes into New York’s World Trade Center buildings and the Pentagon outside Washington, DC were unprecedented losses of union emergency services workers. The fate of hundreds of other union workers remains unknown."

Firefighters: New York fire officials say 300 firefighters and 85 city police officers who rushed to the World Trade Center to aid workers there may have died when the complex’s twin towers collapsed. Fire Fighters General President Harold A. Schaitberger said Sept. 11 will "undoubtedly be the worst day for line-of-duty deaths in the 83-year history of the IAFF."

Airline Workers: The four hijacked airliners used in Tuesday’s terrorist attacks carried a total of 233 passengers, 25 flight attendants and eight pilots. Captain Duane Woerth, Air Line Pilots Association president, said his union has "committed all of the resources of the association’s security, air safety and accident investigation personnel to assist in this unimaginable tragedy." A Flight Attendants statement said that union stood "ready to assist authorities and families of victims in any and every way possible."

HERE: About 270 members of Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Local 100 worked at the Windows on the World restaurant on floors 106 and 107 of World Trade Center Building 1, according to President Bill Grandfield. The local does not know how many were on duty Tuesday morning.

AFGE: About 235 members of three AFGE locals worked for federal agencies located in the World Trade Center, and members of two additional AFGE locals worked in the Pentagon. AFGE has no information about where these workers were during the attacks or their conditions.

Building Trades: More than 30 Electrical Workers, Painters, Laborers, and Steam Fitters worked on construction projects in the World Trade Center and are unaccounted for, according to New York City Building and Construction Trades Council President Edward Malloy.

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

AFSCME: Sixty-three state workers are missing from World Trade Center offices, many of whom are members of the Civil Service Employees Association, an AFSCME affiliate.

Other union workers employed at the World Trade Center include three members of Musicians Local 802 at Windows on the World; 120 members of the Public Employees Federation (a joint unit of SEIU and the Teachers) at the National Development and Research Institute; Teamsters, Communications Workers, Electrical Workers and SEIU and IUOE workers at Port Authority Trans Hudson; and 44 Longshoremen members at New York Shipping Association.

MEBA Member: John Corcoran, a member of the Marine Engineers, was aboard United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles that terrorists flew into the second World Trade Center tower, MEBA reported. Corcoran was on his way to board a new ship. He is survived by his wife Diana, 17-year-old daughter Megan and 14-year-old son Jake.

In addition to the teams of union emergency services and medical workers conducting rescue and aid missions in New York and suburban Washington, D.C., union volunteers are contributing their skills, funds and even blood.

Iron Workers: More than 1,000 Iron Workers from the mid-Atlantic and New England area have volunteered their services for rescue, recovery and cleanup in New York, according to the union’s national headquarters.

Other Building Trades Workers: The New York City Building and Construction Trades Council reports working around the clock, with about 1,000 people assisting in New York’s rescue and cleanup work.

MEBA and Seafarers: MEBA members and Seafarers are aboard the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, which is on its way to the scene in New York.

Food and beverage donations: The New York State AFL-CIO and Food and Commercial Workers Locals 342-50 and 1500 arranged and loaded two batches of donated food, water and other beverages for delivery to Fire Fighters on the scene. And the New York State AFL-CIO has coordinated with the Frito Lay Co.– Burger King, KFC and Taco Bell – to deliver food to rescue workers.

International union organizations: The AFL-CIO and affiliated unions have received hundreds of messages of support from international union federations. Visit www.aflcio.org for details.

Offering prayers in Washington, D.C.: Employees of Washington-area unions and other concerned citizens were invited to join AFL-CIO headquarters staff for a brief memorial moment of silence at noon on Thursday, September 13, 2001 featuring faith leaders from several religious traditions.

Support disaster relief funds Donations are needed by:

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 16^th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. Donations also may be made online at www.unioncommunityfund.org.

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 212-685-9522 for more information.

AFGE’s World Trade Center/Pentagon Fund: Make checks payable and sent to FEEEA World Trade Center/Pentagon Fund, 8441 W. Bowles Ave., Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80123-9501. Call 303-933-7580 for further information.

SEIU Sept. 11 Relief Fund: Send contributions to this special fund for SEIU members to SEIU’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., for distribution. The address is SEIU, 1313 L St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Give blood. To find out how to donate blood in your community, please call the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIVE.

Stay informed. Visit www.aflcio.org for developing information and opportunities to help.