William Quesse
Encyclopedia
William Fred Quesse was an American
labor
leader and president of the Building Service Employees International Union, the precursor of the Service Employees International Union
, from 1921 to 1927. He was the union's founding president.
Quesse founded a union of 200 apartment janitors in 1902. The union quickly folded, however. Undeterred, Quesse founded the Chicago Flat Janitor's Union in 1912. Quesse was elected president.
In 1921, Quesse led six other janitors' unions in Chicago in forming the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU). The new union immediately received a charter from the American Federation of Labor
.
A second labor dispute erupted in 1920. Initially, Quesse agreed to arbitration
as a way of ending the wage impasse, but the arbitrator ruled for no pay increase. The union undertook a pressure campaign against the employers. The Employers' Association of Chicago initiated an anti-union campaign aimed at BSEIU, and not only resisted the union's organizing efforts but began an active public relations, legal, and media campaign to break the union. As the organizing drive continued throughout 1920 and 1921, both sides undertook a program of bombings, beatings, intimidation, extortion, and bribery.
A 1921 indictment resulted in a hung jury
. In 1922, 10 union leaders, including Quesse, were indicted a second time on an array of charges, including extortion and conspiracy to bomb buildings.
On June 8, 1922, Quesse and the other BSEIU leadership were convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to one to five years in prison. In 1924, Quesse was pardoned by Republican
Governor
Len Small
. Defenders of the convicts claim law enforcement officials ignored evidence of employer crimes after the employers' association pressured city officials to break the union and used the public relations campaign to whip up anti-union public sentiment. The employer organization's campaign against BSEIU continued, but the union's extensive political activity (Quesse had founded the Cook County Wage Earners' League to act as a political action committee
for labor unions in the city) prior to the organizing drive had won it supporters in City Hall. Quesse's ties to Republican Mayor
William Hale Thompson
helped protect the union.
The state again attempted to indict Quesse in 1924, but nothing came of the charges as Quesse's political backers helped quash the indictment.
as well.
Quesse fell ill with cancer in late 1926. In January 1927, he was hospitalized at Columbus Memorial Hospital. After his condition was recognized as terminal, he was allowed to return home on February 13. He died at 1:00 a.m. on the morning of February 16.
Oscar Nelson
, who was at his side when he died, was named interim president of BSEIU. Jerry Horan
, a BSEIU organizer whose primary job was to act as Quesse's chauffeur, was elected Quesse's successor as BSEIU president on September 6, 1927. William McFetridge
, Quesse's nephew, became president of BSEIU in 1940.
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 and president of the Building Service Employees International Union, the precursor of the Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
, from 1921 to 1927. He was the union's founding president.
Early life
His parents were Christ and Shirley Quesse, and he had a brother and two sisters. He married the former Margaret Tankau, and the couple had three children.Quesse founded a union of 200 apartment janitors in 1902. The union quickly folded, however. Undeterred, Quesse founded the Chicago Flat Janitor's Union in 1912. Quesse was elected president.
In 1921, Quesse led six other janitors' unions in Chicago in forming the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU). The new union immediately received a charter 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...
.
BSEIU and presidency
The union led a strike in 1917 which led to retention of contracts but little economic advancement.A second labor dispute erupted in 1920. Initially, Quesse agreed to arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
as a way of ending the wage impasse, but the arbitrator ruled for no pay increase. The union undertook a pressure campaign against the employers. The Employers' Association of Chicago initiated an anti-union campaign aimed at BSEIU, and not only resisted the union's organizing efforts but began an active public relations, legal, and media campaign to break the union. As the organizing drive continued throughout 1920 and 1921, both sides undertook a program of bombings, beatings, intimidation, extortion, and bribery.
A 1921 indictment resulted in a hung jury
Hung jury
A hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
. In 1922, 10 union leaders, including Quesse, were indicted a second time on an array of charges, including extortion and conspiracy to bomb buildings.
On June 8, 1922, Quesse and the other BSEIU leadership were convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to one to five years in prison. In 1924, Quesse was pardoned by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
Len Small
Len Small
Lennington Small was the 26th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1921 to 1929. He also served as a member of the Illinois state senate from the 16th District from 1901 to 1903 and was Illinois state treasurer, 1905–07 and 1917-19.Small was born in Kankakee County, Illinois.Lennington Small was...
. Defenders of the convicts claim law enforcement officials ignored evidence of employer crimes after the employers' association pressured city officials to break the union and used the public relations campaign to whip up anti-union public sentiment. The employer organization's campaign against BSEIU continued, but the union's extensive political activity (Quesse had founded the Cook County Wage Earners' League to act as a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
for labor unions in the city) prior to the organizing drive had won it supporters in City Hall. Quesse's ties to Republican Mayor
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
William Hale Thompson
William Hale Thompson
William Hale Thompson was Mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Thompson was the last Republican to serve as Mayor of Chicago, and ranks among the most unethical mayors in American history.Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Hale...
helped protect the union.
The state again attempted to indict Quesse in 1924, but nothing came of the charges as Quesse's political backers helped quash the indictment.
Death
In the last three years of his life, Quesse built BSEIU into the most powerful labor union in Chicago. His political influence grew not only throughout the city, but the state of IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
as well.
Quesse fell ill with cancer in late 1926. In January 1927, he was hospitalized at Columbus Memorial Hospital. After his condition was recognized as terminal, he was allowed to return home on February 13. He died at 1:00 a.m. on the morning of February 16.
BSEIU successors
Quesse's close friend, Chicago City AldermanChicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
Oscar Nelson
Oscar Nelson
Oscar Nelson was a Chicago City Alderman, one-time Auditor for the state of Illinois, and interim president of the Building Service Employees International Union, the precursor of the Service Employees International Union, in 1927.Nelson was born in Sweden. He emigrated to the United States and...
, who was at his side when he died, was named interim president of BSEIU. Jerry Horan
Jerry Horan
Jeremiah J. Horan was an organized crime figure and President of the Building Service Employees International Union from 1927 until his death in 1937...
, a BSEIU organizer whose primary job was to act as Quesse's chauffeur, was elected Quesse's successor as BSEIU president on September 6, 1927. William McFetridge
William McFetridge
William Lane McFetridge was an American labor leader and president of the Building Service Employees International Union , the precursor to the Service Employees International Union, from 1940 to 1960....
, Quesse's nephew, became president of BSEIU in 1940.