“At 6 o’clock this morning a chorus of whistles for the first time in five months greeted the gray dawn at the collieries throughout the Schuylkill region, and shortly afterward thousands of men and boys were on their way to work and the long strike was definitely at an end.”
– Pottsville Republican, October 23, 1902
On October 23, 1902, the Coal Strike of 1902 officially ended, and thousands of mineworkers across Northeastern Pennsylvania returned to the collieries and breakers after five months on strike.
The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), led by John Mitchell, had fought for months to secure better wages, improved working conditions, and recognition for the union. When an agreement was finally reached, it marked a turning point in American labor history.
The coal operators and UMWA leaders agreed to:
- A 10% wage increase for mineworkers.
- A 9-hour workday, instead of the previous 10-hour standard.
- The creation of an arbitration board to settle future labor disputes.
These concessions were seen as a major victory for the UMWA, strengthening John Mitchell’s reputation and giving organized labor a stronger voice in industrial disputes.
The strike paralyzed the nation’s coal industry, forcing the Federal government – under President Theodore Roosevelt – to intervene in a labor dispute for the first time. Instead of sending troops to crush the strike, Roosevelt pressured both sides into negotiations, setting a precedent for future labor relations.
The mineworkers’ gains in pay and working hours were significant, but the coal operators refused to recognize the union officially, ensuring that labor struggles would continue in the years that followed.
Read more about the 1902 Coal Strike
“Among the Pennsylvania coal-strikers” – A dispatch from the 1902 Coal Strike
A Thanksgiving sermon in the aftermath of the 1902 Coal Strike
“Stick to the Union” – Factory girls supported union miners during Coal Strike of 1902
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So much paine and suffering,why, GREED! the mine owner’s would not give up one chilling to help raise the miner’s to better live’s. Sad,our gov. act’s the same way today.Your articale’s are very informitive and bring truth to life!keep up the good work,thank’s JOE.