Sad to say that there are bound to be many more. But the union involvement is still worrisome. I worked in the WTC, and then a block away. The circumstances involving the cleanup were beyond the city's control. If the union helps these guys sue, it definitely cheapens their heroic legacy. The city was not at fault here, OBL was.
Speaking as someone who, despite my handle, was 5 blocks away from the Towers on 9/11 (inhaling plenty of the crap that these people did, although only for 5 hours or so)-- and who lives in NYC now -- this is one of the few times in my life when I DON'T have a problem with union involvement. The people who participated in the 9/11 cleanup are public heros. If they got sick performing a public duty, we have an obligation to pay our taxes and take care of them -- the same as if a cop gets shot in the line of duty. Most of these people are middle and working class, and lack the resources to protect their rights on their own. Fighting for things like this is maybe the ONLY legitimate function unions serve today.
I live in NYC, and pay exhorbitant taxes to do so. Most of my $$$ goes to fund government waste and USUAL union scum (witness the transit strike fiasco). But this is one of the few things I'll pay taxes for gladly.
I wouldn't like to see a flurry of lawsuits; I'd prefer to see the local, state and federal government get out in front of the issue and take care of these people and their families. The police and firefighters who ran into the rubble are as surely heroes, and as surely victims of terrorism, as the ones who ran into the towers before they fell. They're just suffering longer.
Post #5 well said.