By 1902 the workers were fed up and started the largest industrial strike of the time. Asking for a 20% wage increase, 8 hour shifts, and sage working conditions. They stopped working in the mines to protest to the owners and encouraged others to do so too. The owners refused to negotiate with the workers arguing that profits were already low and unionization would destroy discipline.Eventually the coal shortage started to manifest and people started to take notice. Theodore Roosevelt saw this and decided to intervene on the side of the workers. Although his general attorney disagreed, Roosevelt drafted a proposal with J. P. Morgan to establish reforms that would protect workers, and set hours and wages. Facing pressure from their workers, Morgan, and the president, mine owners gave in and agreed to negotiate reforms.
On October 23, 1902 the strike ended. Workers were given a 10% raise, a 9 hour work day, and safer working conditions. Although tension between the workers and employers was still there, Roosevelt made it a point to try and establish good relations between them.
Sources:
http://www.american-historama.org/1881-1913-maturation-era/anthracite-coal-strike-1902.htm
https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/coalstrike
This gave a very insightful look into the dangerous conditions many industrial workers faced, especially during a time period where there were no workers' protection programs available. It was a huge victory when the president finally came to the workers aid; not only did that legitimize the worker's complaints, but it also countered the negative public perception of labor unions. We are fortunate to live in a time where workers rights are acknowledged and fought for.
ReplyDeleteI thought your post was very informative and covered how workers were exposed to dangerous conditions with little compensation. After a bit of reading, I found that the Coal Strike of 1902, also known as the Anthracite Coal Strike, left many problems still unsolved. As you said, the workers ultimately got a 9 hour workday and a 10% increase in wages, however, problems such as child labor and hazardous working conditions still remained. Furthermore, the United Mine Workers of America (an organization established to improve mine safety and provide miners with collective bargaining power) failed to gain recognition from the mine operators. Even though this coal strike was put down after a compromise was reached, the United Mine Workers of America would strike back around 12 years later in the Colorado Coalfield War (also known as the Ludlow Massacre).
ReplyDeleteI also found it very interesting how J.P. Morgan managed to intervene (once again) in this coal strike. He came up with a proposal of arbitration and placed the U.S. Federal Government as a neutral arbitrator. In fact, the Anthracite Coal Strike was actually the first strike to be resolved by federal arbitration.
https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/october-03/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_strike_of_1902
I liked the clarity of your blog post and how it expanded on an event we discussed in class. I remembered from MEHAP that this was the point in time when socialism started to arise in Western politics so I looked into when socialism became strong in America. It turns out that in 1901, the Socialist Party of America was formed and it quickly gained traction. By 1912, it gained several electoral votes, even on the national level. This party would soon wane after the Great Depression but the Communist Party would then arise and campaign for similar ideals. This overall trend connects back to the riots such as the Coal Strike of 1902 because they all rally around the idea of giving workers more rights as the country continues to industrialize.
ReplyDeleteSource: https://oxfordre.com/americanhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-413
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