On April 21, 1894, bituminous coal miners went on strike. This early attempt to fight against employer oppression and the extremely low wages of the mines failed pretty badly, in the face of overwhelm
On March 6, 1984, the British coal strike against Margret Thatcher’s union-busting and privatization began. This strike would threaten to shut off the nation’s energy supplies. It was also
Today’s film is this 1974 British documentary on the horrors of strip mining for coal in Appalachia. Good thing we’ve learned so, so much in the last 47 years that I’ve been alive. T
There’s nothing Republicans won’t turn into a full culture war these days, as this is really all they have. That includes in West Virginia, where the state legislature is considering using
These are the graves of Thomas Hatton, Lewis Davies, and other victims of the Avondale Colliery coal mine fire. What I’m going to do here is paste my Labor History on Avondale with some addition
On January 2, 2006, a coal mine near Sago, West Virginia exploded. Thirteen miners were trapped inside and only one of those survived the two days it took to get the miners out. Yet another example of
I can see why Appalachian white workers are so hopped up on their Democrat War on Coal signs and bumper stickers. After all, when has the coal industry not paid off for the everyday worker? It’s
On August 29, 1933, the National Miners Union shut down mines in Gallup, New Mexico. This labor action, which in many ways pitted Mexican miners against Navajo miners, demonstrates the racial complexi