I had an exciting time, but nopw it's very sad memories. I was a labor union attorney in NYC back then and our largest client, a Service Employees International Union local, was on a major demonstration and mass picket at the Twin Towers. New cleaning contractor came in having a very low bid and then laid off approximately two thousand union men and women office cleaners at the WTC. The protests were still allowed inside the concourse of the WTC which was very good because of the blizzard. At night though, some of the self lubricated troops 'boosted' some liquor bottles as the protest parade snaked around the concourse. They were arrested and our firm had to make sure all was according to Hoyle .
They were in cells at the bottom basement of the WTC. Unbelievable place. The police area looked like a massive audition for Hill Street Blues undercover roles! Truly scurvy looking characters - now I knew where the "bums" came from on my subway rides each day!
One group of arrestees (mostly Latino) were merrily playing cards with the cops. The cop in charge said "They're fine, and we'll be letting them go after the big crowd above us is gone. No heroes. Just nice and easy." The Latino guys smiled and waved at me and gave me thumbs up. Nice typical NYC common sense handling of matters.
I went out into the swirling blinding river side storm and caught a union business agent lying in the snow and firing a not home-made slingshot at the WTC windows, checking range and projectiles. He told me that was in case 'it' had to be raised up a few notches. I lied to him and told him a Port Authority cop saw him and asked me to give him an immediate 'cease and desist.' He did. Things never got to that point.
I went home that early morning feeling invigorated and self satisfied. I got on the Number 1 local at the station beneath the WTC.
That entire little metropolis, with its own trains and station, is now gone. What hell it must have been that day in 2001.
We ended up with the desired labor agreements and peace a week later, but still I have sad memories.
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