Anthracite coal strike of 1902
The Coal strike of 1902 (also known as the anthracite coal strike) was a strike by the United Mine Workers of America in the anthracite coalfields of eastern Pennsylvania. Miners struck for higher wages, shorter workdays, and the recognition of their union. The strike threatened to shut down the winter fuel supply to major American cities. At that time, residences were typically heated with anthracite or "hard" coal, which produces higher heat value and less smoke than "soft" or bituminous coal.
| Coal strike of 1902 (Anthracite coal strike) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
John Mitchell, President of the UMWA, arriving in Shenandoah surrounded by a crowd of breaker boys. | |||
| Date | May 12 – October 23, 1902 | ||
| Location | Pennsylvania, United States | ||
| Goals | Eight-hour workday, higher wages, and union recognition | ||
| Methods | Striking | ||
| Resulted in | Nine-hour workday (reduced from ten) wage increase of 10% first strike settled by federal arbitration | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
John Mitchell George Baer | |||
| Number | |||
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| Settlement arbitrated by Theodore Roosevelt's administration | |||
The strike never resumed, as the miners received a 10 percent wage increase and reduced workdays from ten to nine hours; the owners got a higher price for coal and did not recognize the trade union as a bargaining agent. It was the first labor dispute in which the U.S. federal government and President Theodore Roosevelt intervened as a neutral arbitrator.