Photo credit: David Starke
Accession Number: C.2023.74.2.1
Dimensions: .25 in X 3.5 in
Dimensions (Metric): 0.635 cm X 8.89 cm
Credit Line: Gift of Alan Grande
Description
TWU Local 100 bronze-cast medal created in recognition of TWU Local 100 injured 9/11 rescue and recovery workers. The front of the medal features embossed imagery of a transit worker wearing a mask and MTA hard hat using a torch to cut steel. His gloves are marked "NYCTA." Also included is the facade of the Twin Towers, a grappler vehicle, an MTA bus, and an MTA subway car. Text around the border of the medal reads: "TWU LOCAL 100 RECOGNITION AWARD | INJURED 9/11 RESCUE AND RECOVERY." The back of the medal has embossed text that reads: "TRANSPORT | WORKERS | UNION | LOCAL 100" and engraved text in the center that reads: "AFL | CIO."
Historical Notes
The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 100 represents thousands of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employees. These workers include subway and bus operators, station and ticketing agents, equipment and infrastructure maintainers, and cleaners.
On and after 9/11, about 3,000 union members deployed to the World Trade Center. Many searched for victims. Transit operators drove thousands to safety and shuttled responders to the site. Machine operators cut beams and cleared rubble to create pathways. In damaged subway tunnels, cleaners removed dust and debris while maintainers restored services.
TWU Local 100 members assisted at Ground Zero throughout the nine-month rescue and recovery period.