William F. "Willie" Zenga, retired business manager of Local 25 of the International Union of Operating Engineers Marine Division and retired vice president of the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department (MTD), passed away on Labor Day, Sept. 2, in West Palm Beach, Fla. He was 79. "He was a close and dear friend, going back to the old days," recalled SIU and MTD President Michael Sacco. "Willie was very active in organizing and he especially was active in promoting a dredging program for New York and New Jersey."
MTD Vice President Ernie Whalen worked extensively with Zenga at Local 25. "I had the privilege of working with Willie Zenga for more than 17 years. In his 55 years of service to the Operating Engineers and to Local 25, he was a dedicated voice for the dredgemen," Whelan said. "Also, as business manager of Local 25 and as vice president of the MTD, he was an outspoken advocate for our nation's ports."
Retired SIU Vice President West Coast George McCartney knew Zenga through maritime port councils and central labor councils. "He was a great guy, very sincere and dedicated," McCartney stated.
Local 25 represents dredgemen, drillers and boat operators in 38 states. Zenga served as an official at Local 25 since its inception in 1959. Other than during his service in the U.S. Navy in World War II, he was active in the Operating Engineers since graduating from Dickerson High School in Jersey City, N.J. in 1939.
"He did a tremendous amount of work to promote the maritime and dredging industries," noted SIU Vice President Contracts Augie Tellez. "He served on a number of key maritime committees in New York and New Jersey, and he was a tireless advocate for the membership."
Donations in the name of Brother Zenga may be made to The American Heart Association for the State of Florida, P.O. Box 21475, St. Petersburg, FL 33742.
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