 It is generally considered a successful union strike, although the contract was not beneficial to union members.Since the 1940s, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) had negotiated a nationwide National Coal Wage Agreement with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association (BCOA), a group of large coal mine operators.The three-year agreements covered national bargaining issues such as wages, health and pension benefits, workplace health and safety, and work rules.