Maurice Hutcheson
Encyclopedia
Maurice Albert Hutcheson (May 7, 1897 - January 9, 1983) was a carpenter and an American
labor
leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
from 1952 to 1972.
He was nicknamed "Maurice the Silent" for his taciturn nature and ability to sit silently through long meetings or heated debates.
He was born in Saginaw County, Michigan
, to William Hutcheson
and his wife Bessie Mae (King). He was educated in public schools. The Hutcheson family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana
in 1913 when William Hutcheson was elected president of the Carpenters' union.
The younger Hutcheson apprenticed as a carpenter in 1914 and served in the United States Navy
in World War I
.
After the war, he returned to carpentry. He was appointed a financial auditor for the international union in 1928, and was elected an international vice president in 1938.
After the death of his father, who was president of the Carpenters' union, he was elected president.
Hutcheson immediately withdrew the Carpenters from the American Federation of Labor
(AFL) when, shortly after his election, the AFL signed a no-raid agreement with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
(CIO). However, he reaffiliated the union just three weeks later.
He was elected a vice president of the AFL in 1953 and served on the federation's executive council. After the merger of the AFL and CIO in 1955, he was elected a vice president of the merged organization as well.
In 1954, he signed a jurisdictional agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
, ending a 40-year dispute.
In 1957, he was cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to appear before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate Committee on Government Operations led by Senator John L. McClellan and answer questions about labor racketeering.
Hutcheson was convicted of contempt of Congress in May 1960 and sentenced to six months in prison. The conviction was upheld by the United States Supreme Court. A federal district court judge converted the sentence to two years of probation in 1964. Hutcheson was later pardoned by President Lyndon B. Johnson
.
Although he was critical of Teamsters
president Jimmy Hoffa
for permitting his union to be dominated by organized crime
, Hutcheson voted against the resolution ejecting the union sponsored by AFL-CIO president George Meany
in 1957. The resolution passed over his objection.
In 1958, Hutcheson and two Carpenters union officials were accused of bribing an Indiana
state official to obtain advance notice of the nature and location of future highway projects. Law enforcement officials said Hutcheson and the others had made an $81,000 profit by buying the land on which a highway was to be built and then selling it to the state. All three men turned their profits over to the state and were convicted in 1960. The Indiana Supreme Court unanimously threw out the convictions in 1963, holding that there were no grounds for a conspiracy conviction.
The conviction nearly led to Hutcheson's removal from the AFL-CIO's Executive Council, but Meany—whom Hutcheson had strongly supported through the years—blocked the removal when Hutcheson threatened to pull his union from the federation.
After his retirement, he lived in Milan, Indiana
. Shortly before his death, he moved to Florida.
Maurice Hutcheson died in Lakeland, Florida
. Hutcheson's wife, the former Ethel Hyatt, died in 1977. The couple had no children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
labor
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
from 1952 to 1972.
He was nicknamed "Maurice the Silent" for his taciturn nature and ability to sit silently through long meetings or heated debates.
He was born in Saginaw County, Michigan
Saginaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210,039 people, 80,430 households, and 55,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 260 people per square mile . There were 85,505 housing units at an average density of 106 per square mile...
, to William Hutcheson
William Hutcheson
William Hutcheson was the leader of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from 1915 until 1952. A conservative craft unionist, he opposed the organization of workers in mass production industries such as steel and automobile manufacturing into industrial unions...
and his wife Bessie Mae (King). He was educated in public schools. The Hutcheson family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
in 1913 when William Hutcheson was elected president of the Carpenters' union.
The younger Hutcheson apprenticed as a carpenter in 1914 and served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
After the war, he returned to carpentry. He was appointed a financial auditor for the international union in 1928, and was elected an international vice president in 1938.
After the death of his father, who was president of the Carpenters' union, he was elected president.
Hutcheson immediately withdrew the Carpenters from the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
(AFL) when, shortly after his election, the AFL signed a no-raid agreement with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
(CIO). However, he reaffiliated the union just three weeks later.
He was elected a vice president of the AFL in 1953 and served on the federation's executive council. After the merger of the AFL and CIO in 1955, he was elected a vice president of the merged organization as well.
In 1954, he signed a jurisdictional agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is an AFL-CIO/CLC trade union representing approx. 646,933 workers as of 2006 in more than 200 industries.-Formation and early history:...
, ending a 40-year dispute.
In 1957, he was cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to appear before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate Committee on Government Operations led by Senator John L. McClellan and answer questions about labor racketeering.
Hutcheson was convicted of contempt of Congress in May 1960 and sentenced to six months in prison. The conviction was upheld by the United States Supreme Court. A federal district court judge converted the sentence to two years of probation in 1964. Hutcheson was later pardoned by President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
.
Although he was critical of Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
president Jimmy Hoffa
Jimmy Hoffa
James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa was an American labor union leader....
for permitting his union to be dominated by organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
, Hutcheson voted against the resolution ejecting the union sponsored by AFL-CIO president George Meany
George Meany
William George Meany led labor union federations in the United States. As an officer of the American Federation of Labor, he represented the AFL on the National War Labor Board during World War II....
in 1957. The resolution passed over his objection.
In 1958, Hutcheson and two Carpenters union officials were accused of bribing an Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state official to obtain advance notice of the nature and location of future highway projects. Law enforcement officials said Hutcheson and the others had made an $81,000 profit by buying the land on which a highway was to be built and then selling it to the state. All three men turned their profits over to the state and were convicted in 1960. The Indiana Supreme Court unanimously threw out the convictions in 1963, holding that there were no grounds for a conspiracy conviction.
The conviction nearly led to Hutcheson's removal from the AFL-CIO's Executive Council, but Meany—whom Hutcheson had strongly supported through the years—blocked the removal when Hutcheson threatened to pull his union from the federation.
After his retirement, he lived in Milan, Indiana
Milan, Indiana
Milan is a town in Franklin and Washington townships, Ripley County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,899 at the 2010 census.The town's name is pronounced differently from the English name for the Italian city of the same name....
. Shortly before his death, he moved to Florida.
Maurice Hutcheson died in Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. Hutcheson's wife, the former Ethel Hyatt, died in 1977. The couple had no children.