Staten Island Ferry resumes normal service amid staff call-outs
STATEN ISLAND (WABC) -- The Staten Island Ferry has resumed normal service after a rocky start to Tuesday morning amid an ongoing labor dispute.
But now crew sick-out calls are leading to big concerns because of the potential for major delays -- and elected officials want the work disputes to be resolved.
The labor dispute has been going on for 13 years and involves mariners and captains working without a contract. Periodically there are a number of crews that call out sick.
It happened in May as well.
Whether that's a job action or legitimate sick calls depends on who you ask, but it ultimately limits the number of boats that can be operated.
The Department of Transportation initially warned Tuesday that commuters should expect limited to no service. They attributed the issues to a significant number of crew call-outs that would be "inconveniencing tens of thousands of daily riders."
Departures were set to happen hourly out of St. George Terminal and on the half-hour out of Whitehall Terminal.
The New York City Ferry was planning to offer free ferry service Tuesday morning between Wall St / Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan and St George on Staten Island. The New York City ferry is capable of carrying thousands more passengers than the Staten Island ferry.
Normal St. George Terminal service to Battery Park City and Midtown West was suspended in the early morning hours.
Union officials say the city has been aware of ferry staffing shortages for years without properly addressing the issue.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis says the Staten Island Ferry workers called out sick with the city and their union are "very close to resolving the years-long issue of Staten Island Ferry mariners and captains working without a contract."
Malliotakis, an advocate for "a fair deal with the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association," urged the city to "settle this once and for all."
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