Ricci.
A New Haven firefighter whose name went down in history for changing the country’s approach to government promotions reached a new milestone early Friday morning: He became his union’s president.
The firefighter, Frank Ricci, crushed five-year incumbent Jimmy Kottage and two other opponents in the election for president of 360-member International Association of Fire Fighters Local 825.
The balloting took place Wednesday and Thursday at all 10 firehouses around town. Votes were tallied at the fire training academy on Ella Grasso Boulevard until around 5 a.m. Friday.
The official results confirmed that the union’s rank and file — 122 of whom joined the department this year — wanted change: Ricci had 170 votes compared to Kottage’s 53.
In fact, another firefighter, Pablo Melendez, bested Kottage, too. Melendez came in second with 63 votes. A fourth candidate, Miguel Rosado, collected 26.
The president serves a three-year term and earns $37,000 a year above his regular salary. He works three regular day shifts in the firehouse that all firefighters work out of every nine days, then three days in union headquarters rather than a regular night shift.
Firefighters also elected a new union vice-president/treasurer, Mark Vendetto, who collected 156 votes against Darryl Brooks (84 votes) and Gerard Bellamy (73). A new executive board was elected, too.
Candidates including Kottage noted in the campaign for union president that members are unhappy about a two-tier benefits package agreed to in the most recent contract, to the detriment of newer hires. Complaints also surfaced about transparency and inside deals struck with City Hall. Click here for a full story on those issues and the campaign itself including interviews with all the candidates.
“This really was a change election. It comes down to the fact that we have a really great executive board that I’m going to be able to work with,” Ricci told the Independent. “We’re going to be able to move this union forward together.” His newly executive board members are Pat Cannon, Kevin Riley, Angel Aviles, Greg Boivin, Steve Durand, Patrick Psarras, Justin McCarthy, Tim Borer, and Scott Pullen,
Over his 19 years as a firefighter, Ricci overcame dyslexia to rise to score well enough on tests to rise to the rank of captain. He serves as the department’s drillmaster and, until now, served as the union’s vice-president.
Melissa Bailey Photo
Ricci testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2007.
He was also the name plaintiff in Ricci v. DeStefano, a lawsuit challenging New Haven’s (and many fire departments’) affirmative-action policies in promotional exams. The suit went to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ricci’s side won, setting a precedent for how departments should conduct promotions. Ricci subsequently testified about the case in D.C. at U.S. Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Melendez Friday applauded Ricci for his victory and said he believes the union may now become more transparent, keeping all those new members in the loop.
“It’s a good day,” said Melendez. “I think the members decided to go forward. I didn’t have the experience. Frank Ricci has the experience. It’s time to move past the negativity. The transparency — I’d like to see a natural progression from the e‑board al the way straight through.”
