by RICHARD STEIER
The Uniformed Fire Officers Association's members July 28 ratified an agreement raising maximum salary 3.5 percent by a vote of 1,843 to 308.
The day after the count by the Election Services Corporation, UFOA President John J. McDonnell said, "On a personal level we're very pleased that 85 percent of the members saw the value in this parity protection issue."
The increase in top pay maintains the salary relationships the UFOA has had with police supervisory unions. Like those unions, it was determined to use a reopener clause in its contract to match the wage increases granted to the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association under a May arbitration award but did not want to have to make the extensive concessions that award imposed to reduce the city's costs.
64% Already Eligible
Mr. McDonnell shared the feeling of his colleagues representing NYPD Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains that the best way to meet both objectives was to only seek to apply the increase to maximum salary, which has long been the standard by which parity was judged. Those fire officers who do not already have three years in their current rank — the basis for reaching top pay — will get the increase upon attaining that anniversary since their promotion. Currently 1,646 of the union's 2,561-plus members are eligible for the new maximums, which one source said will be reflected in paychecks early this fall.
Forsaking an across-the-board increase allowed Mr. McDonnell to make concessions whose value was six times less than what was imposed on the PBA under the arbitration award. Two-thirds of the savings he provided the city will come from his members giving up Election Day as a paid holiday, with the remainder resulting from members forsaking $298 worth of scheduled annuity fund increases.
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