South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-29

The membership is scattered from
Pennsylvania 90 the Pacific, from
Michigan to Alabama and Texas.
with a fringe in Canada-NOva SEQ
tia forming a district as also the
Western provinces. Pennsylvania and
Illinois have the greatest number of
miners Membership among dis
tricts changes periodically with the
opportunity for work.
The United Mine Workers OF
America was formed Jan. %, 1890
by the amalgamation of the National
Progressive Union of Miners and
Mine Laborers. and the National
Trades Assembly No. 135, knights OF
Labor. the two branches having IT,
coo members Each of the cOmbin-
ing organizations retained its name
as "a branch Of the union until 1894.
when such distinction was dropped
ard the union became known only
as the United Mine Workers Of
America
Before the fusion of the two
unions as the United Mine Workers
OF America. several attempts were
made to form national organization
fields had it's birth In 1919 I'm the an
thr3cite district. but the move for
national unity was made by the soft
coal workers and the anthracite field
was not brought into a national or
EanizatiOn until after the creation Of
the United Mine Workers of America.
Until 1861. unions had been only
organizations. but on Jan. % that
year the first national union was
founded 90 S.. Louis by the soft coas
workers of the BeueviIle. H.. dis
trict forming tbs American Miners
Association This organization was
extended into the soft coal fields of
Pennsylvania and Ohio. but mem ber-
ship dwindled after unsuccessful
strikes bon 1857 and 1868 and this
union died I'm 1869.
Meanwhile. the anthracite workers
had formed their frs district organ
izatiou known as the Workmen's
Benevolent Association I'm 1870. its
president. John Siney. who is known
now as the father Of the miners
movement in America, negotiated the
first Joint agreement ever made in
this country between operators and
their employees other successes
marked Sineys leadership OF the an
th8cite organizations. but I'm 1873,
De quit 90 become president OF the
second national union of coal miners,
the Miners National Association of
the United States OF America, which
was organized at Youngstown. Ohio.
oct IT, 1873. by miners from the
soft coal fields
Within year. the Miners National
Association claimed membership
of 1000 scattered throughout seven
middle western states. but nation
wide depression had set in with the
panic of 1873 and the union ceased
to exist i'm 1876. A year before. the
Workmen's Benevolent Association
I'M the anthracit field had been
crushed by strike.
For several years, there was no
national union but organization in
The coal fields was continued. often
secretly. under the local independent
p'au such organizations efforts
continued until 1855. when the next
move was started for national unity
among mine workers. and soon two
national organizations we're strug-
SLING for supremacy.
Two soft coal field workers. meet.
irs at indianapolis. sept ., 1855,
Organized the National Federation OF
Miners and Mine Laborers. which in
is first year started the collective
bargaining movement between min
sr- and operators that exists today
The knights OF Labor, which began
orsanlzing locals in the coal fields.
included the anthracite. IN 1877
formed a miners branch-the Ma
roual Trades Assembly No. 1S5-at
a meeting al ST. Louis May 20. 1856.
Efforts 20 unite these two organ
.zstions failed until 1880. one at
tempt in 1SSS being marked By the
National Federation OF Miners and
lIre Laborers dissolving but recon
srtIt.uE itself ~ the National Pro
Ere-s.ve Union Although there were
Two national unions. both participat-
e5 % the Joint conferences with Op-
orators that marked the collective
bargaining movement started in
-sN5. Finally. in 1890 the two
unions Joined forces as the United
Slime Workers IL America