strike coal strike united_states labor union action led nationally headquartered pennsylvania strike lasted april february resulted termination health care benefits approximately disabled miners cited refusal company contribute benefit trust established miners retired refusal company bargain good faith grounds action company cited declining coal prices decreasing demand recession reason limiting health care benefits strike affected production mines virginia west_virginia kentucky workers families engaged acts civil work protests rallies peak june strike involved approximately miners daily staying camp solidarity thousands sending donations holding involved people participation women labor action hoc formation reminiscent early days union organization proved essential element successful strike events leading strike 1980s real inflation adjusted price coal declined putting economic pressure coal companies coal companies began employing non union workers work money coal company maintain profit dropped seventh largest coal operator united_states 15th coal production time low worked regulated health retirement benefits offered workers mines continued lose money terminated contract establish health retirement benefit contract collective established different retirement plans miners retired retired hopes help company gain profit felt strain providing benefits cost increasing company going debt having difficult time paying miners benefits avoid losing money doubled health lowered coverage discontinued benefits miners retired change health care plan company gain profit decided mines running hours day seven days week overtime workers away clauses meant miners job security transfer job rights mines leased sold miners working longer hours expensive health care plans losing production time closed took action new plan operation offered reach settlement coal company stayed quiet time came renew health care retirement benefit plans workers refused refusal renew contract left people health care people miners employed families disabled miners virginia area declares strike april miners worked months benefits president declared strike members worked walked mines reported picket line responded strike hiring replacement workers ensure production continue help state police escort replacement miners coal trucks picket line civil attract attention needs miners union stressed actions strike remain peaceful miners violent methods strike strike gained media attention people came country support cause people went southwest virginia course strike strike production reduced low production result strike taking place mines owned main involved virginia mines participated strike virginia coal complex refused demands operating loss strike continued unable meet financial needs started suffer strike progressed members union paid week average average salary week union members getting pay promised lose faith ability negotiate settlement efforts miners able spirit morale strike knew giving demands lead companies health care benefits august questioned local reporter new_york_times long expected strike continue responded question saying people asking long hold answer day longer strike continued february settlement agreed parties settlement reached taking demands court times miners able receive health retirement benefits strike tactics strike wanted use means protest company union members practiced method civil found creative ways message heard mass sit strike road ignored request violence express anger felt time strike ended people arrested actions violent actions majority people carried violent acts members actions included destruction mining equipment coal trucks rocks break windows stopping trucks tires usually jack rocks jack rocks sharp tools nails points facing designed tires began organize illegal members affiliated union continued organize virginia june nearly involved strike strike acts soon spread past virginia parts country coal companies additional violent acts included making car bombs placed coal trucks travel shoot employees coal company tried enter coal mines shot windows cars houses replacement miners owners different violent strike tactics carried people injured including shot deaths associated strike civil tried focus civil stepped stop union members different strike tactics acts included standing blocking roads coal trucks travel mass sit strikes large groups people outside coal mines method protesting helped gain support people country method peaceful protesting demonstrated formation located center protesting southern virginia supporters came country outrage actions place stay people local towns offer shelter provide beds food people came union member supporters found solution problem local recreational park near virginia turned supporters stay small shelter equipped beds built existing bar opened provide food people staying camp solidarity location recreational park plenty space bring tents area moss important act civil strike moss strike going months settlement expected near future union members began lose hope thousands people arrested lot money spent cause ending union members knew regain spirit strike clear plan union officers devised called moss named moss preparation plant primary coal processing plant time officials secretive planning act strike wanted know place officials selected union members virginia west_virginia kentucky participate selected miners met virginia told plan moss set unexpected mass sit strike preparation plant walked plant peacefully sat inside plant halt production thousands supporters gathered outside plant encourage inside estimated supporters height moss gathered outside production plant sit strike inside moss lasted sunday wednesday days felt point walked local miners said called national_guard state police remove miners leave hour time owners felt miners inside tipped information left avoid arrested women involvement strike involved coal miners supporters strike miners majority support union members received women pivotal aspect strike women wives daughters miners worked women supporters affiliation mining women sit middle roads causing drive slowly coal trucks cause delays famous groups women supporters arose time daughters mother jones freedom fighters peak strike women involved supporting miners daughters mother jones group women formed strike daughters mother jones group took known mother jones famous union activist group chose wanted support miners benefits follow beliefs jones daughters performed actions women supporters strike including organizing places supporters stay preparing food raising money miners action daughters mother jones best known organization ongoing strike coal state headquarters lebanon virginia women meet outside headquarters strike instruction organization outside monday wednesday hopes gain media attention support miners despite daughters feel independently constructed sit strike place headquarters union april group women went headquarters held hour sit strike women stated leave contract signed questioned police media reporters names women responded saying daughters daughters gained attention media completely halted production entire day half women involved members wanted support cause linked considered union freedom fighters women group developed strike main mission women cook provide meals people staying camp solidarity freedom fighters set phone bank inform people types food donate food needed supporters able stay camp solidarity long period fed free forming group women found way support miners freedom fighters formed strike end today freedom fighters exist group women help support benefits miners united_states aftermath strike february came settlement current miners receive health retirement benefits pay million retirement benefits plan miners return permitted operate seven days week long closed sundays miners rotating schedule days work week days hours day groups lost considerable money production cost organizing strike end strike fined million actions strike fines violence erupted road forms civil union officials personally charged day strike union charged actions moss people opposed charges petitioned dropped charges vast majority cleared return union officials hours community service compensate removal fines miners glad settlement reached receiving health retirement funds benefits long time people gone financial trouble strike costs health care paid pocket miners resources result miners accumulated debt direct result strike formation coal act act established act mandatory law mining companies provide health retirement benefits workers time strike strong coal company area protesting strike coal plants sold nation coal companies order pay health care miners strike ended moss demolished new plant built named recreational park reclaimed nature open field physical aspects area changed strike ended changed feeling miners accomplished win benefits benefits union actions strike possible thousands miners receive health care retirement funds years come miners able reach settlement early case end fines million come agreed drop charges case court system courts wanted responsible fines appealed fines case remained years
Pittston Coal strike