Retired Vice Pres. Hughes Was an Ohio Political Force

Martin J. Hughes, 85, a retired vice president of CWA District 4 who was a powerful political influence in Ohio, died March 8 at a hospital near Cleveland.

CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, who became District 4 vice president in 1994, described Hughes as "a creative and innovative leader. Because of his work, thousands of workers in our union have better lives."

Coming of age following the Great Depression, Hughes became a telephone repair technician and rose through the leadership ranks of Cleveland Local 4340.

He served in the Army during World War II and was decorated for service in North Africa and Europe. After his discharge, he returned to union work.

Helping settle a statewide telephone strike in 1947, he came to the attention of founding CWA President Joe Beirne, who brought him to the union's Washington, D.C., headquarters as his assistant.

In 1950, Hughes returned to District 4 as assistant to Vice President A.T. Jones. He served alternately as assistant to the vice president and as CWA's Ohio director in the 1950s and '60s.   In 1970, after working hard to elect Democratic Gov. James J. Gilligan, Hughes was named director of the Ohio Department of Industrial Relations.

After returning to CWA, he went on to win election as District 4 vice president in 1972. Throughout his 15 years as vice president, Hughes was passionately committed to mobilizing the membership and raising funds to elect Democratic candidates. In the '80s, he became a frequent visitor to the White House and adviser to President Jimmy Carter.

Hughes stepped down as vice president in 1987 after facing charges of irregularities in the reporting of union political contributions. He received a fine and two years probation, and later was pardoned by President Bill Clinton.

During the course of his career, Hughes served as president of the Cleveland AFL-CIO and member of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, the board of the Cleveland Port Authority and the national governing board of United Way.

He is survived by his wife, Natalie, three sons and a brother.