ILA Local 1588 president: Waterfront commission is ‘stifling hiring,’ unfairly punished Sampson

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International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1588 President Virgil Maldonado is going after the Water Commission of New York Harbor on the one-year anniversary of when New Jersey was supposed to exit the bi-state agency.

From left to right: International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1588 President Virgil Maldonado, Gov. Phil Murphy (D), and Assemblyman William Sampson (D-31). Facebook photo.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Over the last year, the Waterfront Commission has continued to take every opportunity to stand in our way by stifling hiring and negatively impacting economic growth,” Maldonado said in a statement.

“While our members are working to advance the shipping industry and exceed 21st Century standards, it is clear the Waterfront Commission is stuck in the past. Forcing New Jersey to remain in the out-of-touch Waterfront Commission means that our hardworking members have continued to be subjected to the Waterfront Commission’s archaic, outdated world view.”

Sampson, who is seeking a second term in the state Assembly with the support of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, worked as a crane operator at the Global Container Terminal before the WCNYH revoked his license due to alleged excessive absences at the end of 2022.

While he asked them to reconsider, with his union voting to spend up to $50,000 in an effort to get his license back, his appeal was unsuccessful.

Maldonado said this was unfair since Sampson worked 2,600 hours last year, more than the average dockworker, and was only paid for the hours he worked.

“In comparison, around the same time that the Waterfront Commission revoked Assemblyman Sampson’s license, the commission gave members with far worse offenses a slap on the wrist: in January, the commission only suspended a member for five days after he was arrested for assault and endangering the welfare of children,” he exclaimed.

“New Jersey’s repeated attempts to leave the Waterfront Commission have been blocked, and now the Supreme Court is taking up the case. On behalf of all ILA Local 1588 members, I hope that the Supreme Court will allow New Jersey to leave the Waterfront Commission once and for all. We’ve already lost so much time and so many valuable members to the commission’s archaic world view, and we can’t afford to lose anymore.”


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1 COMMENT

  1. Maldonado said this was unfair since Sampson worked 2,600 hours last year, more than the average dockworker, and was only paid for the hours he worked.

    2600 hours divided by 52 weeks is 50 hours a week. Was he on call for 2600 hours? How many hours did Samson physically work last year?

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