The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor is an instrumentality of the states of New York and New Jersey. Authorized by an act of Congress in 1953, the commission was charged with fighting corruption in the port district, and insuring fair hiring and employment practices. Not a prosecuting agency, the commission licenses who may work in the stevedoring industry and monitors the flow of money within it. In the six decades that followed, and especially in recent years, some have urged that the days of “On The Waterfront” are long gone and that the commission is no longer needed. However, in 2015 Gov. Christie vetoed legislation designed to abolish the commission, apparently because, as a bi-state agency, New York, New Jersey and Congress would need to agree to the elimination.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas dismissed a suit brought by the International Longshoremen’s Association, which contended that the commission lacked authority to order its members to testify about a strike by dock workers in 2016 that shut down the East Coast’s port for several hours. Judge Salas dismissed the suit, ruling that the commission has statutory authority to investigate “waterfront practices generally within the port of New York district and upon all matters relating to the accomplishment of the objectives.” She further ruled that the compact that created the Waterfront Commission specifically authorizes the issuance of subpoenas.

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