Remembering 9/11, Honoring Workers on Labor Day
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, NYSNA nurses honored Labor Day and the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks at a rally and march organized by the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The event, titled “Our City, Our Fight, Our Future,” both honored the union workers who responded on Sept. 11 and rebuilt the city in the aftermath, and celebrated the workers who keep New York City running every day.
NYSNA directors at large Sonia Lawrence, BSN, RN, and Pauline Wallace, BSN, RN, attended the event, along with members and leaders from unions across the city, including 1199SEIU, AFGE District 2, IBEW Local 3, CSEA, PSC-CUNY, AFA-CWA and more.
NYSNA Southern Regional Director Alizia McMyers, MSN, RN, MHA, who is also a care management nurse at NYC Health+Hospitals/Harlem, spoke at the rally about why she is proud to be a union member in the city:
“This city was built by union workers – nurses, healthcare workers, police, fire fighters, and city and state workers. As a nurse who has worked through 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ebola crisis and natural disasters, I know that union workers are the people who keep this city going in difficult times.”
McMyers spoke about the need to fight for continued care for the first responders who risked their lives in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and who continue to face health challenges because of Ground Zero exposure. Nurses continue to advocate for adequate funding and staff in the World Trade Center Health Program. Some of the first responders may face difficulty getting care because they are non-citizens or have lost health insurance coverage. McMyers anticipates seeing more patients without healthcare coverage as federal cuts to programs like Medicaid take effect.
“New Yorkers will never forget 9/11. As a city, we hold the lessons of that time close, and we know we can all stick together and help each other,” McMyers said. “So, in the spirit of Labor Day, and in honor of the brave first responders and everyone who cares for them, let’s stay united. Union workers built this city, so let’s keep fighting for a city that takes care of all New Yorkers!”