McDonnell Gets Full Term As UFOA Leader

By ARI PAUL

Uniformed Fire Officers Association President John J. McDonnell was elected to a one-year term Sept. 12 by his fellow board members.

JOHN J. McDONNELL: Remove the 'interim' tag.

Battalion Chief McDonnell was chosen interim president in June after Peter L. Gorman left the UFOA to become the chief of staff at the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington, D.C.

"I'm honored to be chosen to lead the UFOA again," Battalion Chief McDonnell said in a statement. "I look forward to a rewarding year but more importantly, a safe year for all fire officers and Firefighters."

An Active Interim Run

Since regaining the post he first held a decade ago, Battalion Chief McDonnell has secured a new wage contract for members and promoted an IAFF video criticizing former Mayor Rudy Giuliani's handling of 9/11 and its aftermath. He is currently defending three fire officers who were relieved of duty and reassigned to Fire Department headquarters in the wake of the Deutsche Bank building fire Aug. 18, which killed two Firefighters.

Mr. McDonnell's previous tenure as president was marked by frequent clashes with then-Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen. In September 1998 he was succeeded by Deputy Chief Arthur Parrinello following an election in which Mr. Von Essen was believed to have played a behind-the-scenes role.

Delivered Pact

When Battalion Chief McDonnell took the union's top job in June, he promised to work vigorously on a new contract, which he announced July 20 with Labor Relations Commissioner James F. Hanley and Mayor Bloomberg on the Mayor's radio show on WABC.

The pact provided members with 4-percent raises in each year, raised longevity differentials by $1,000 and provided extra compensation for some Chiefs.

Also elected Sept. 12 were Lieut. James McGowan as vice president, Lieut. Edward Boles as treasurer, Capt. Patrick Reynolds as recording secretary, Capt. John Dunne as financial secretary, Capt. Michael Currid as sergeant-at-arms, Lieut. Stephen Carbone as the Lieutenants' representative, and Battalion Chief George Belnavis and Deputy Chief Richard Alles as Chiefs' representatives.