Militia encampment outside of Shenandoah during 1902 Coal Strike

[jeff of pa]

Evening times-Republican. (Marshalltown, Iowa), 31 July 1902.







https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...ext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

 

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[Kray Gelder]

We forget the violence that was required to get heavy industry to enact safety and worksite condition improvements, as well as reasonable pay, length of workdays, and humane treatment of workers.

Today's workplace safety laws, overtime rules, child labor laws, and all improvements in the workplace, are thanks to these initial organized labor disputes. Were it not for the early unions, and the solidarity among these laborers, this would be a very different country today.

 

[jeff of pa]

from What I've been Reviewing In the era Papers
the United Mine Workers & newspapers were The Cause of the Violence in 1902

actually since the 1870's it seems there were strikes Every other Month.
There would be a Strike Announced.
Some mines would shut down Others Wouldn't.
the Next day the News would Report a Mine still Working.
The next day the News would Report an attack on the Mine
The Next day they would Report on another Mine that was still Working, Causing More Violence.

Eventually The Newspaper Would say The Miners Went back to Work

Then The Next day Report a Strike & all started Again.


Seriously No wonder they were Poor, They Struck & Destroyed More then they Worked.

Then it all came to a Head with the Union Forcing Strikes, The Union Supporters,
Dynamiting Homes Of Non Union Miners, Killing,Wounding, Destroying Trains Etc.
Reinforced Trains with Gun Ports were Even Sent in

Yes I'm anti Union, Union Heads Still get a Salary during Strikes,
Miners Didn't & No matter if they got a 10% Raise after 9 Months,
They still Lost more then they Gained. or could even Expect to recover, With the Union
getting ready for another Strike.

I Won't go into my Life thanks to Unions & Union Supporters Destroying My early Jobs.
But I learned to Inquire. Union / Non Union ? Before Applying & Avoid places that had them

 

[Kray Gelder]

The violence started with the mill and mine owners. They hired Pinkerton guys, and other enforcers, private armies, to selectively bring violence to individuals advocating for worker's rights. Cave ins, explosions, scrape the bodies off to the side, and keep working. Build "company towns" of shacks made of cardboard, company stores to confiscate what little wages were paid.

No concern of dumping pollutants into rivers and the air. It surprises me Jeff that you support the old guard, considering industry's legacy in your state. Coal and oil and garment factories, the biggest labor offenders in American history.

We are, of course, seeing the erosion of workers rights and standards of living today. With the influx of illegals, the reset of our economy in 2008 by the international corporations and banks, the shuttering of northern unionized factories, to move to the stupid south, where they will work for nothing. Shipping factories to other countries, where they work for less than nothing.

Eventually, the circle will come around, and we can see violence at the workplace again, because business owners never change...they want it all, workers be damned.

 

[jeff of pa]

Yes there were absolutely No rules back then.
Mine fires & Explosions were Common.
They did do Some Good. But They also did allot of Harm ,
Financially to the Miners & Their Families through Strikes.
Maybe more then the Mine Owners.

I remember Bootleg Mines. (1960's)That was After all this (imo Union Crap .
My dad worked for Bootlegger Mines, he was also a Bootlegger of sorts.
I remember one time walking back the old mining road behind my Place, Seeing my Wagon and a couple
Coal buckets along the old road. Looked around a Bit & saw feet sticking out the Ground
Dad was following a Vein in the side of a Small Bank . he was Getting coal for us for the winter.
Was illegal but, Back then of course there were No Spies. & He was probably not Risking Jail
Or Bankruptcy if caught.

in the Last Few Decades the Mining industry was Almost Shut Down in PA.
DEP, DER going to Mines & Regulating everything.

Including going So far as to Insist on Port-O-Pots.
All good & well,
Except when a DEP Agent shows up, Looks in the Port-O-Pot & the TP Roll is out.
Walks to the Side of it Takes a Piss, & Marks down to give the Mine a Fine for no TP
on the Roll. . as of 911, Mines now have to pay a Pro to come in & Dynamite .
or send one of their Miners to Homeland Security Lessons at Their Expense
There are/Were (PRE 2016) so many regulations, Many mines gave up.
Things are Coming back now.

Dad used to Buy Dynamite & Caps at a Local Gas Station/Miners Store.
Pick up the Dynamite at the Bunker on the Way to the Mine.
Mom used to work The Heist. (A beat up old Truck with a Winch)
We'd go at Night. He'd go down Work for a Few Hours for the Owner of the Bootleg hole, Fill the Buggy & Our Buckets for Doing it. Light the Dynamite.
Come up & We'd leave before the Explosion.

That was on his Off Hours, From were he Worked Daily.

My distaste is for Unions, Strikes, & Over regulation by the Power Hungry