 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.Local agreements, far more limited in scope, were negotiated by each individual local affiliate of UMWA.