The largest strikes in United States labor history effected 5 million Americans and were carried out after World War II. What is now known as the Strike Wave of 1945-46, occurred in a number of the States' various industries and included miners, steel workers, meat packers, United Auto Workers, oil workers, and even film crew workers. Coal Miners, however, saw the most effective participation.
The coal strikes left millions of American homes cold and without power and shutdown large numbers of factories during one of the coldest winters of the era.
Coal shortages became so unbearable for the United States' people and economy that President Truman felt he had to intervene. In addition, railroad workers joined the strike, and Truman knew this threatened to bring the whole nation to its knees.
Truman, to the surprise of many, seized all coal mines and railroads in attempt to resolve the strikes. Truman would later make a pattern of escalating strike involvement, later even threatening to have the military occupy industries which would not cooperate. Eventually, John L. Lewis of the UMWA, perhaps the most highly respected union leader in U.S. labor, made a deal on Truman's terms but won a number of critical rights for workers of the mining industry.
The result of the miners' strike became known as The Promise of 1946, also known as the Krug-Lewis Agreement. This deal created what evolved into the UMWA Health and Retirement Funds. President Roberts of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) explains, “The Promise made in the White House in 1946 did several things, but none was more important than guaranteeing retirement security for coal miners and their families for their service to the Nation, including cradle to grace health care."
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| John L. Lewis |
Seventy years later, the effects of the strikers' hard work is being challenged by the coal industry. In areas such as in the mines of West Virginia, retiring coal miners are being denied the pensions and health benefits they were guaranteed by mining corporations on behalf of the United States government, and miners unions are demanding the federal government reach a hand out for these retirees being denied their care.
Sources:
http://umwa.org/news-media/journal/the-promise-of-1946/
http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/great-strike-wave-1946
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/coal-miners-much-needed-health-care-collides-budget-showdown/
Great post. It's unfortunate that the rights guaranteed by the Promise of 1946 are now being revoked from coal workers. Are these rights guaranteed by the law? If so, the coal industry would be breaking it by denying pensions. It will be interesting to see how the Trump Administration responds to this, as he has promised to protect the coal industry.
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