Summary
The Coal strike of 1902 was an effort by the United Mine Workers to raise wages, shorten work hours, and recognize their union. This strike was a result of many previous strikes lead by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). In 1897 the UMWA had won a significant victory by the soft-coal minders in the Midwest, winning significant wages increases and growing from 10,000 to 115,000 members. Numerous small strikes took place between 1899 and 1901, where the labor union gained more workers and experience. The 1899 strike in Pennsylvania demonstrated that the unions could win a strike against one of the large railroads. By 1902 many of the issues that lead to the previous strikes were still apparent. The union wanted recognition and some sort of control over the industry. On May 12, 1902, the miners, lead by John Mitchell, went on strike. The strike took place in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania and threatened to shut down he winter fuel supply to all major cities. More than 100,000 workers took part in this strike. The strike went on for months, causing some businesses and schools to close because of a lack of coal for heating.
President Theodore Roosevelt feared "untold misery...with the certainty of riot which might develop into social war." Roosevelt felt that he had to do something to end the strike, but the federal government had no legal right to intervene in a dispute between capital and labor. Roosevelt organized a meeting with the laborers on October 3rd in Washington. The meeting failed to resolve the strike so Roosevelt turned to J.P. Morgan. A contract was devised calling for the president to assign a committee of arbitration to settle the strike, meaning that an outside party would help resolve the issue. The Anthracite Coal Strike Commission was established and the strike was called off on October 23rd. The strike had later for 163 days and seven deaths were recorded along with numerous accounts of terror and crime. Hearings lasted until March of the next year, where 558 witnesses were heard including unionists, workers, and people attacked during the strikes. Finally, on March 22, 1903, the Commission came to a conclusion. The workers won a 10% increase in wages and a nine-hour workday although, the United Mine Workers of America was still unrecognized as a union.
Effect
The Coal strike of 1902 successfully increased wages and lowered working hours for coal miners. The strike did not achieve it's goal of widespread recognition but it is still looked at as an important strike in history. The strike continued to push the efforts of labor unionization forward. Samuel Gompers, founder of he American Federation of Labor, said that he viewed the strike as "the most important single incident in the labor movement in the United States." The strike was not only important to the labor movement during that time period but continues to be important even today. In 1924, a memorial was dedicated to John Mitchell in Scranton, Pennsylvania located outside the courthouse where the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission began its hearings in November of 1902. The strike also promoted the ideology of Progressivism, the greatest good for the greatest amount of people, in politics and society. This idea of Progressivism became a huge part of the progression of our country. It sought to limit the power and influence of wealthy elites and fought for better living and work conditions, especially for laborers in factories and mines. The Coal strike of 1902 caused President Roosevelt to set the precedent of involving the federal government in conflicts between capital and labor, which later led to the establishment of initiatives, referendums in the government, and the nine-hour workday.
Why?
The miners and laborers were unhappy with their pay and workdays and decided to take a stand. The United Mine Workers of America had been trying to gain recognition and increase awareness for the cause and though this would be the perfect opportunity. The union was successful in increasing pay and being granted a nine-hour workday, although they did not gain the recognition they were hoping. Many people joined the union and awareness was increased, but they were still not recognized as a union. They were successful in increasing pay and decreasing workdays because they stood up for what they wanted and were able to make an impact on the country. This strike is important in American history because it paved the way for a change. We should care about this strike because if it had never happened we may still have much longer workdays and low income. This strike not only changed the pay and work hours but made way for a change in the American capitalist system. This strike was one of the many stepping stones that created our work system in America today.
The Coal strike of 1902 was an effort by the United Mine Workers to raise wages, shorten work hours, and recognize their union. This strike was a result of many previous strikes lead by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). In 1897 the UMWA had won a significant victory by the soft-coal minders in the Midwest, winning significant wages increases and growing from 10,000 to 115,000 members. Numerous small strikes took place between 1899 and 1901, where the labor union gained more workers and experience. The 1899 strike in Pennsylvania demonstrated that the unions could win a strike against one of the large railroads. By 1902 many of the issues that lead to the previous strikes were still apparent. The union wanted recognition and some sort of control over the industry. On May 12, 1902, the miners, lead by John Mitchell, went on strike. The strike took place in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania and threatened to shut down he winter fuel supply to all major cities. More than 100,000 workers took part in this strike. The strike went on for months, causing some businesses and schools to close because of a lack of coal for heating.
President Theodore Roosevelt feared "untold misery...with the certainty of riot which might develop into social war." Roosevelt felt that he had to do something to end the strike, but the federal government had no legal right to intervene in a dispute between capital and labor. Roosevelt organized a meeting with the laborers on October 3rd in Washington. The meeting failed to resolve the strike so Roosevelt turned to J.P. Morgan. A contract was devised calling for the president to assign a committee of arbitration to settle the strike, meaning that an outside party would help resolve the issue. The Anthracite Coal Strike Commission was established and the strike was called off on October 23rd. The strike had later for 163 days and seven deaths were recorded along with numerous accounts of terror and crime. Hearings lasted until March of the next year, where 558 witnesses were heard including unionists, workers, and people attacked during the strikes. Finally, on March 22, 1903, the Commission came to a conclusion. The workers won a 10% increase in wages and a nine-hour workday although, the United Mine Workers of America was still unrecognized as a union.
Effect
The Coal strike of 1902 successfully increased wages and lowered working hours for coal miners. The strike did not achieve it's goal of widespread recognition but it is still looked at as an important strike in history. The strike continued to push the efforts of labor unionization forward. Samuel Gompers, founder of he American Federation of Labor, said that he viewed the strike as "the most important single incident in the labor movement in the United States." The strike was not only important to the labor movement during that time period but continues to be important even today. In 1924, a memorial was dedicated to John Mitchell in Scranton, Pennsylvania located outside the courthouse where the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission began its hearings in November of 1902. The strike also promoted the ideology of Progressivism, the greatest good for the greatest amount of people, in politics and society. This idea of Progressivism became a huge part of the progression of our country. It sought to limit the power and influence of wealthy elites and fought for better living and work conditions, especially for laborers in factories and mines. The Coal strike of 1902 caused President Roosevelt to set the precedent of involving the federal government in conflicts between capital and labor, which later led to the establishment of initiatives, referendums in the government, and the nine-hour workday.
Why?
The miners and laborers were unhappy with their pay and workdays and decided to take a stand. The United Mine Workers of America had been trying to gain recognition and increase awareness for the cause and though this would be the perfect opportunity. The union was successful in increasing pay and being granted a nine-hour workday, although they did not gain the recognition they were hoping. Many people joined the union and awareness was increased, but they were still not recognized as a union. They were successful in increasing pay and decreasing workdays because they stood up for what they wanted and were able to make an impact on the country. This strike is important in American history because it paved the way for a change. We should care about this strike because if it had never happened we may still have much longer workdays and low income. This strike not only changed the pay and work hours but made way for a change in the American capitalist system. This strike was one of the many stepping stones that created our work system in America today.