12. If any longshoreman is paid by a waterfront employer less than the waterfront prevailing wage to which the longshoreman is entitled under the provisions of this act, or suffers discharge or other discrimination in violation of section 11 of this act, that longshoreman may recover in a civil action the full amount of such waterfront prevailing wage less any amount actually paid to the longshoremen by the waterfront employer together with costs and reasonable attorney’s fees as allowed by the court, and in the case of discharge or other discrimination, reinstatement to employment with payment of any wages lost because of the discharge or discrimination. An agreement between longshoremen and a waterfront employer to pay less than the prevailing wage shall not be a defense to the action. Any longshoreman shall be entitled to maintain such action for and on behalf of himself or other longshoremen similarly situated, and the longshoreman or longshoremen may designate an agent or representative to maintain such action for and on behalf of all longshoremen similarly situated. At the request of any longshoreman paid less than the waterfront prevailing wage to which such longshoreman was entitled under the provisions of this act, the commissioner may take an assignment of the wage claim in trust for the assigning longshoreman and may bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim, and the waterfront employer shall be required to pay the costs and such reasonable attorney’s fees as may be allowed by the court.

L. 2021, c.336, s.12.