In the toughest of times, public employees came through for New York City with heroism, dedication and pride.

This special section of PEP is dedicated to the heroes of September 11, 2001—living and dead—and to the thousands of public employees and union workers who made recovery a reality for New York City over the past year.

May their valor and dedication never be forgotten. May the city they brought back from tragedy and despair continue to honor their bravery and their labor, not only in ceremonies but in the most practical ways. May the uniformed agencies recognize that civilian workers are a vital part of the mix.

May the people and the government realize that weakening the public service infrastructure by privatization threatens the ready-to-go workforce of trained and experienced municipal employees who are always the city's first line of defense when disaster strikes.

—Bill Schleicher, Editor