Troubles in the Coal Fields

The coal strike of 1977-78 resulted in a serious defeat for the United Mine Workers’ Union. After a remarkable display of solidarity, the miners returned to work on March 27 dissatisfied and discouraged. The final contract gave them a 37 percent wage increase spread over three years, but the miners dismissed that increase as insignificant; they expect to lose it to inflation and taxes. Weighing far heavier on their minds was the fact that the contract gave them none of the goals they ha...