User:JSL22/Miners for Democracy

Miners for Democracy was a dissident movement within the United Mine Workers of America which successfully challenged the administration of the union in the early 1970s. After the assassination of Joseph ‘‘Jock’’ Yablonski in late 1969, a funeral was held at Immaculate Church in Clarksville, Pennsylvania on April 1970. At Yablonski’s funeral, other miners that knew Yablonski officially formed the organization known as Miners for Democracy.

The 1969 UMWA Presidential Election
The 1969 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Presidential Election was between incumbent “Tony” Boyle, and Joseph Yablonski. Boyle was infamous for beating up critics, blacklisting opponents of his legislation, among other actions seen as corrupt. Yablonski was a newer face in leadership, and faced oppressive moves from the incumbent Boyle. Such actions included: the Union newspapers touting Boyle and ignoring Yablonski, incumbent supporters harassing Yablonski meetings, and giving pension increases to those Boyle hoped to gain or keep votes. Yablonski and his followers tried their best to focus on diverse constituents, approaching the election at a more grassroots level. But it seemed that the insurgent movement had little chance to stand up to the powerhouse of Boyle and his corruption. Even with the Landrum-Griffin Act, union leadership refused to investigate Boyle’s wrongdoings, leading to Yablonski supporters to challenge the election and its results.

Challenging the Election
On January 20, 1970, a former campaign manager for Yablonski, Chairman Mike Trbovich, allowed Joe Rauh to officially challenge the 1969 UMWA election. Thanks to the Landrum-Griffin Act, which provided federal oversight of unions to protect workers and industry from corruption, Secretary Schultz filed suit in federal court, in March of that same year. A quote from Shultz says he headed “the most widespread and painstaking investigation in the history of the Landrum-Griffin Act.” The suit ended with seven Landrum-Griffin Act election law violations, and demanded the union financial transactions to be temporarily halted. Many lawsuits and over a year later, in September of 1971, the official election suit went to trial, and in May of the next year, MFD won the suit, overturning the 1969 UMWA election. The hierarchy of the miners union was finally crippled, thanks to MFD, their lawyers, and two years of grueling legal work.

The 1972 UMWA Presidential Election
The major court victories lit a fire under the Miners for Democracy organization, who picked the Black Lung Association President, Arnold Miller to represent MFD in the election. The united front against the union establishment was finally here, ready to beat Boyle once and for all. Arnold Miller and supporters of the MFD movement used a grassroots approach, traveling all around Appalachia, helping out local miners, while spreading his campaign message. MFD was able to get a lot of outside support as well, such as intellectuals, students, and reformers, which helped their movement, but also helped Boyle, who used it as a message to miners that MFD were "outsiders" who were trying to interfere with the union. The election was heavily monitored and scrutinized by the Department of Labor and MFD, and Arnold Miller came out as the victor.

Outcomes
The use of the Landrum-Griffin Act proved to be a necessity for MFD’s victory, and the mobilization of legal resources, mixed with the fire lit from the murder of Yablonski helped the insurgents miners overthrow the Boyle administration. The UMWA Constitution was overhauled, and true democracy was brought to the union. Not only a win for MFD, the Trbovich case provided precedent for other unions and social movement groups, ensuring the federal government intervenes to make sure all interests are represented equally.

Mining Safety
Mining safety for the Miners for Democracy was a core issue. A prime example of this was in 1969 when over 60,000 miners working in the coalfields went on strike. This strike during 1969 was during Yablonski’s campaign for union president. Soon after that, Black Lung Disease became another crucial issue for miners. This disease sparked over 70,000 miners to go on a march to the capital of West Virginia. Yablonski saw an opportunity to help the united miners in the quest for safer working conditions. Yablonski pushed for cleaner air in the mines for miners, to reduce food contamination miners and their families were eating, and to reduce pollutants in the water. However, only a couple months after Yablonski ‘s canididacy for union president, he was murdered. Yablonski’s death sparked a movement in the miners who said that if coal could not be mined safely, it would not be mined at all. The miners knew that this might possibly create job losses for miners, and ensured that miners who lost their jobs would be given other union jobs. The Miners for Democracy helped to pave the way for safter working conditions.

Legacy of MFD and current groups
The victory of the MFD was an important revolution for the lives of working people. The MFD paved the way for future workers rights, not only in the mining and steel industries, but for workers all around the country. The Miners for Democracy legacy was one that wanted to protect both the safety of miners, and the environment. One of the goals of the MFD was to preserve the environment, and to preserve jobs for miners at the same time. The MFD worked hard to keep mining jobs alive while trying to protect the environment. One way they did this was that they ensured that any miner who lost their jobs had other union jobs available for them . The MFD has inspired groups all around the world to continue their work in trying to protect energy workers, and the environment. Most recently, a group called UNIFOR based out of Canada called for an end to fracking. UNIFOR argued that people need to consider the health and safety of workers and the environment before fracking should continue. There also are dozens of states in the United States that have miner associations now that help to protect miners. Lastly, large agencies such as the Environmental protection agency in the USA, and the European environment agency in Europe have carried on trying to protect and preserve the environment just as the Miners for Democracy tried to do. The MFD has many legacies that followed after them. Environmental groups today are still carrying on the fight for mining safety, protecting the environment, and keeping mining jobs alive.