John F. O'Donnell

John F. O'Donnell ( 1908 – January 28, 1993) was an Irish-born 20th-century American "leading labor lawyer" who represented the national Transport Workers Union (TWU) (now Transport Workers Union of America) and American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and also "played a central role in New York City's transit strikes" from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Background

O'Donnell was born in Donegal, Ireland. He had four brothers and three sisters. His support for the Irish Republican Army led to run-ins with British authorities, so he moved to New York City at age 20.

O'Donnell & Schwartz

In 1948 he and Asher Schwartz formed a law partnership in Manhattan (and in 1981 formed an affiliated law firm in Washington), for labor law and union clients.

Over the years, he partook in many "tense" transit negotiations, including the 11-day 1980 New York City transit strike.

Clients

O'Donnell served as general counsel for the Transport Workers Union from 1948. He also served as top lawyer for the American Postal Workers Union. Other clients included: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Utilities Division - Local 3, Communications Workers of America - Locals 1101 and 1105, and Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers Union - Local 1S. )

Successes

Successes for the firm included: 1950: Helped win $1.1 million in back pay for workers on the old Third Avenue Railway.

During the strike, O'Donnell stated:

(The TWU's "no contract no work policy") isn't set in concrete. The union has to adopt to changing circumstances and a changing world. The no contract, no work policy was adopted at a time when we had a lot of private employers and it never was carried out in every instance ... (Still), we would have as much right to strike as before.

He also noted that TWU had never held any "right" to strike because, in New York, strikes by public employees are illegal. )

Members

In 1972, members of the law firm included: O'Donnell, partner Ashter W. Schwartz,

Another member was Manlio DiPreta, who started his career with O'Donnell & Schwartz and negotiated three key contracts with New York's Transit Authority in the 1990s.

Personal and death

O'Donnell married Gwendolyn Large. They had one son and three daughters.

Legacy

Theodore W. Kheel, labor mediator, said of O'Donnell: "Some people specialize in problems, but he always was looking for the solutions."