183:
mixed-use development in
Chicago, which he believed would provide numerous jobs for Local 1 members. McFetridge asked that BSEIU invest pension funds in the development, a plan which Fairchild and Sullivan opposed. Although he won BSEIU backing for the Marina City development, McFetridge lost control
108:
Once president, McFetridge instituted modern financial and record-keeping practices at the international union's headquarters. He also undertook a large-scale organizing program, expanding out of the union's traditional base in apartments and office buildings and into airports, nuclear power plants,
57:
As a young man, McFetridge was hired by his uncle as an investigator with the Flat
Janitors Local 1 in Chicago. He was elected local president in 1923, and in 1927 was elected Third Vice President of BSEIU. He rose to First Vice President in 1930.
109:
hospitals, and schools. He created research, legislative affairs, and legal departments, and began publishing a union-wide newsletter. During his tenure, the BSEIU grew from 70,000 members to 275,000 members.
175:. He returned to Local 1 and was elected the union's president. He continued to assert effective control over BSEIU from Local 1, however. He engaged in a long-running and vicious jurisdictional dispute with
46:, to William F. and Wilhelmina (Quesse) McFetridge. He had a younger sister named Dorothy. He attended public school until he was 13 years old, when he quit to become an office boy and then clerk for the
176:
683:
66:
698:
105:
McFetridge was elected president of the international union in 1940 after
Scalise was indicted and convicted of bribery, embezzlement and labor racketeering.
444:
Jentz, John B. "Citizenship, Self-Respect, and
Political Power: Chicago's Flat Janitors Trailblaze the Service Employees International Union, 1912–1921."
222:
47:
184:
of BSEIU to
Sullivan. He retired as Local 1 president shortly thereafter. He maintained his position on the AFL-CIO Executive Council until 1965.
27:
688:
703:
73:. McFetridge's candidacy threatened to split the union, as several BSEIU board members were aware of Burke's extensive and close ties to
89:, emerged as a compromise candidate. Scalise's mob ties were strong but not as public, and he had the backing of New York City mobster
65:
died in April 1937, McFetridge was the most senior local union president and widely considered a front-runner for the presidency. But
140:, and nominated him for mayor in 1954. McFetridge became one of the most important behind-the-scenes players in Chicago under Daley.
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125:
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221:, of which McFetridge was president in 1968 and vice president from 1946 to 1968, is named McFetridge Sports Complex for him
31:
148:
54:, the BSEIU's founding president. In time, attending night classes, he graduated from high school and earned a law degree.
163:, he was also a strong advocate of strict financial practices and worked to cleanse AFL-CIO unions of labor racketeering.
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432:
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Fairchild had also once been BSEIU secretary-treasurer under McFetridge. See: "W. L. M'Fetridge, Labor Leader, 75,"
117:
113:
693:
86:
93:. Hesitant BSEIU executive board members elected Scalise after being intimidated and coerced by members of the
538:
486:
Witwer, David. "The
Scandal of George Scalise: A Case Study in the Rise of Labor Racketeering in the 1930s."
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144:
290:
Witwer, "The
Scandal of George Scalise: A Case Study in the Rise of Labor Racketeering in the 1930s,"
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Dewey had prosecuted McFetridge's predecessor, Scalise. See: "W. L. M'Fetridge, Labor Leader, 75,"
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188:
218:
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673:
668:
129:
8:
211:, and the latter's street address was once 465 E. McFetridge (it is now 1 S. Museum Dr.
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437:
Dwyer, Orville and
Hartmann, George. "How Murderers Rode to Rule in Elevator Union."
428:
225:
43:
404:
A Need for Valor: The Roots of the
Service Employees International Union, 1902-1992.
335:
A Need for Valor: The Roots of the
Service Employees International Union, 1902-1992,
307:
April 28, 1940; Dwyer and Hartmann, "How Murderers Rode to Rule in Elevator Union,"
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SEIU Executive Office: William McFetridge Records at the Walter P. Reuther Library
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September 13, 1940; Doherty, "State Gets Tale of Romano Link With Nitti Gang,"
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A short lakefront street in Chicago is named William E. McFetridge Drive.
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McFetridge retired as president of BSEIU in 1960, and was succeeded by
179:, president of BSEIU Local 4. McFetridge was a strong advocate of the
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156:
136:. Nevertheless, McFetridge was a very close friend of Chicago mayor
416:
Doherty, James. "State Gets Tale of Romano Link With Nitti Gang."
224:. Also known as McFetridge Ice Arena, it is the home rink for the
152:
69:, another Chicago local union president, had the backing of the
151:
merged in 1955, McFetridge was elected a vice-president of the
406:
Washington, D.C.: Service Employees International Union, 1992.
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March 23, 1943; "Scalise Hired to Loot Union, State Charges,"
22:(November 28, 1893 – March 15, 1969) was an American
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In 1950, McFetridge was elected a vice-president of the
81:, president of a small BSEIU local of window washers in
684:
Presidents of the Service Employees International Union
699:
Vice presidents of the American Federation of Labor
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451:"Law Rips Mask Off Terrorists Posing As Labor."
303:"Law Rips Mask Off Terrorists Posing As Labor,"
458:"Scalise Hired to Loot Union, State Charges."
85:and the international's representative on the
37:
28:Building Service Employees International Union
425:Biographical Dictionary of American Labor.
329:
327:
325:
254:Biographical Dictionary of American Labor,
467:American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley.
465:Taylor, Elizabeth Joel, and Cohen, Adam.
361:American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley,
50:railway line. McFetridge was a nephew of
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284:
322:
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479:"W. L. M'Fetridge, Labor Leader, 75."
427:Westport, Ct.: Greenwood Press, 1984.
274:"W. L. M'Fetridge, Labor Leader, 75,"
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187:McFetridge died on March 15, 1969, at
529:Service Employees International Union
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555:Thirteenth Vice-President of the
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611:Eleventh Vice-President of the
704:Vice presidents of the AFL–CIO
583:Twelfth Vice-President of the
469:Boston: Back Bay Books, 2001.
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30:(BSEIU), the precursor to the
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679:Trade unionists from Illinois
409:"Change for the Changeless."
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385:"Change for the Changeless,"
147:(AFL). After the AFL and the
641:American Federation of Labor
639:Tenth Vice-President of the
613:American Federation of Labor
585:American Federation of Labor
557:American Federation of Labor
145:American Federation of Labor
26:leader and president of the
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155:. Although a close ally of
38:Early life and union career
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488:Journal of Social History.
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42:McFetridge was born in
20:William Lane McFetridge
694:Activists from Chicago
505:Wayne State University
460:Chicago Daily Tribune.
453:Chicago Daily Tribune.
439:Chicago Daily Tribune.
418:Chicago Daily Tribune.
402:Beadling, Tom, et al.
317:Chicago Daily Tribune,
313:Chicago Daily Tribune,
309:Chicago Daily Tribune,
305:Chicago Daily Tribune,
189:Michael Reese Hospital
126:run for the presidency
120:in 1948 and supported
116:, McFetridge became a
219:Chicago Park District
128:. He later supported
61:When BSEIU president
34:, from 1940 to 1960.
16:American labor leader
513:Trade union offices
167:Retirement and death
130:Dwight D. Eisenhower
481:The New York Times.
462:September 13, 1940.
423:Fink, Gary M., ed.
420:September 12, 1940.
374:The New York Times,
348:The New York Times,
319:September 12, 1940.
276:The New York Times,
195:Chicago recognition
448:9:1 (Summer 1997).
413:December 22, 1961.
389:December 22, 1961.
359:Taylor and Cohen,
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656:
651:Federation merged
648:Succeeded by
620:Succeeded by
592:Succeeded by
564:Succeeded by
536:Succeeded by
446:Labor's Heritage.
226:DePaul University
203:It separates the
132:for president in
44:Chicago, Illinois
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645:1954–1955
630:Preceded by
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112:A long-time
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67:Thomas Burke
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674:1969 deaths
669:1893 births
181:Marina City
71:Chicago mob
63:Jerry Horan
663:Categories
533:1940-1960
397:References
333:Beadling,
159:president
118:Republican
95:Nitti gang
87:East Coast
161:Dave Beck
157:Teamsters
114:Democrat
153:AFL-CIO
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252:Fink,
411:Time.
387:Time,
363:2001.
337:1992.
256:1984.
233:Notes
207:from
24:labor
471:ISBN
429:ISBN
217:The
134:1952
503:at
124:'s
665::
324:^
283:^
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241:^
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