By Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin

Hundreds of union workers rallied in front of Ground Zero today to push for an agreement to begin the stalled construction of two new towers at the site and create thousands of jobs.

Build it now! Build it now” chanted a sea of macho men – and a few women — including plumbers, electricians, ornamental ironworkers and construction laborers, most of whom were sporting reflective vests, hard-hats, and their union insignia.

“Rebuilding the towers,” said Gary LaBarbara, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, “is not only important to our jobs; it’s important to our city and it’s important to our nation.”

The construction has been delayed because of an impasse in negotiations between the Port Authority and developer Larry Silverstein, the leaseholder of the property. Silverstein has asked the PA to contribute financially to the proposed office towers, but so far the authority has refused because of doubts that the space will find tenants. Silverstein is yet to secure an anchor tenant for the project.

An arbitration panel has set Friday as the deadline for the parties to resolve their differences or face the panel imposing the terms.

Patriotism was on display here, with countless stars-and-stripes bandanas and 9/11 memorial paraphernalia. Behind the stage, cranes loomed motionless over the pit where the twin towers once stood.

Local politicians also chimed in.

“The Empire State Building took little more than a year to build at the height of the great depression,” said U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney. “It is almost nine years after 9/11 … and instead of a shining symbol of American strength and resilience; we have a hole in the ground! We need to change that!”

“Let’s tell the truth,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn as she took the podium, “It should have been built already. It is a disgrace!” 2037 is the year projected for completion of the project by a study commissioned by the Port Authority.

“If we want them built, they can be built,” she continued at a fever pitch. The parties involved, she told the crowd, “should go into that building, lock yourselves in a room, put a couple of NYPD guys and gals in front of the door, have you guys waiting down here, and tell ‘em not to come out until they have some good news!”

The crowd roared approval.

Representative Anthony Weiner pointed up at 7 World Trade Center and said, “Look at this building … this building has been up for years, it’s fully occupied, it’s energy efficient, it’s beautiful… that’s what happens when the lawyers get out of the way, and the workers get to work!”

“Is this the message you want to send to Osama bin Laden?” asked Community Board One Chairwoman Julie Menin. “Is this the message that you want to send? That New York cannot figure this out?”