Labor’s International Hall of Fame announces that the more than 600 union members who perished on the infamous day of al-Qaeda attacks on New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania will be inducted as a collective group at the organization’s induction ceremony to be held at the AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C. on May 17, 2012. 

“We are extremely proud to be able to honor the legacy of these true heroes of American history,” said the executive board of Labor’s International Hall of Fame in a joint statement. “Many of those who perished on Sept. 11 were serving the American public and gave their lives in service. All who perished are missing in our hearts, but not in our memories. These heroes gave the ultimate price with their service.”

Labor’s International Hall of Fame is an organization in existence since 1973 and has more than 100 people enshrined who have made contributions to the advancement of labor rights. 

 The death toll among unionists, set then at 636, was more than 20 percent of the 2,800 people the attacks killed.  The unionists included 343 New York Fire Fighters who rushed into the World Trade Center to try to save others before the Twin Towers collapsed.  The New York Fire Fighters' Catholic priest was also killed.

 The Sept. 11, 2001, victims  group will join more than 100 other individuals and groups enshrined who have made contributions to the advancement of labor rights since the Hall of Fame opened in 1973.

 The attacks on New York and Washington, combined with the crash of the fourth terrorist-commandeered plane -- intended to reach the Nation's Capitol -- "will forever be seared into our nation's history," Hall of Fame board members said in a statement.

The most vivid image was the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City collapsing after nearly two hours of a passenger plane being used as a weapon and crashed into the North Tower at 8:56 a.m.

Labor’s International Hall of Fame will honor the legacy of those union members who were killed on that day in the name of service to others.

Besides the 343 Fire Fighters and 60 police officers who rushed into the Twin Towers as others were rushing out, another 73 workers - many of them unionists -- died trapped in the Windows on the World, a restaurant on the top floors of the Trade Center's North Tower.  Seventy civilians and 55 military personnel died in the attack on the Pentagon.  Flight Attendants and Airline Pilots were among those killed on four planes used as weapons by hijacking terrorists. 

Approximately two dozen unions lost members on Sept, 11, 2001.

The 45-minute program will be held in the Samuel Gompers Room of the National AFL-CIO offices and will begin at 5:45 p.m. The event will be preceded by a reception beginning at 5:00 p.m.