Brooklyn, NY – —In honor of Worker’s Memorial Day 2026, Local 100 held a luncheon and ceremony Tuesday to honor the families of members who died in the line of duty and from COVID-19 at the union hall.
The event space, adorned in black and purple bunting, hosted the crowd of over 100, and the day’s theme was “Remember the dead and fight for the living,” a phrase commonly attributed to activist Mother Jones. The families of members we lost were given bouquets of flowers to mark the occasion, standing side by side in unity as one transit family. The moment moved many to tears.
“We haven’t had turnout for this event this high in years,” said President John V. Chiarello. “Your attendance here shows that the memories of your loved ones are not forgotten. The grieving process is not easy, so let’s promise to make the world a better place—we really need it.”
This year Workers Memorial Day celebrates the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency that sets safety standards to reduce workplace hazards, injuries, and fatalities.
Tuesday’s event, though solemn in nature, shined a light on the humanity of how collective action improves worker quality of life, and the role of union power in contemporary crises.
“When we get elected, a lot of members seem to forget that do come from our tools,” said Administrative VP Alexander Kemp. “I’m a Bus Operator and watching so many of my co-workers die during COVID-19 fueled my involvement with the union. It fueled my anger against the transit authority because I knew they had the ability to protect us, but they dropped that ball.”
The program also included a short safety presentation that shared information about the work Local 100 does to ensure every transit worker knows their right to a safe workplace.
“Every name we remember today represents a promise that was broken,” said Safety Director Celeste Kirkland. “The promise that a job should never cost anyone their life. As union members, we know that safety rules, inspections and protections were fought for—many of them were written in the blood of the workers who came before us. So today we honor them, not only in remembrance, but with action.”
