The United Mine Workers of America (UMW)…
January 1890 CE
Modeled after the American Federation of Labor (AFL), the Union's emergence in the 1890s is the culmination of decades of effort to organize mine workers and people in adjacent occupations into a single, effective negotiating unit.
At this time coal was one of the most highly sought natural resources, as it is widely used to heat homes and to power machines in industries.
The coal mines are a competitive and dangerous place to work.
With the owners imposing reduced wages on a regular basis, in response to fluctuations in pricing, miners have sought a group to stand up for their rights.