Why did the 1902 coal strike occur and how did it end?

The 1902 coal strike, also known as the Anthracite Coal Strike, occurred due to a dispute between the anthracite (hard coal) miners and the mine owners in the eastern United States. The main reasons for the strike were demands for better wages, working hours, and working conditions.

The miners were working in extremely dangerous conditions for low pay and long hours; they wanted recognition for their union, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and a collective bargaining agreement with the mine operators. The miners were led by UMWA president John Mitchell. They asked for a 20 percent pay increase, a reduction in the workday from ten to nine hours, and recognition of the union.

The strike began on May 12, 1902, and as it dragged on, it threatened the nation's coal supply, leading to increased coal prices and a potential energy crisis. This was particularly worrying as winter approached, and heating fuel was in high demand.

As the situation became more dire, President Theodore Roosevelt intervened. Roosevelt was concerned about the welfare of the public and was also trying to avoid the use of federal troops to break the strike, as had been done in the past. He invited the miners and operators to meet at a conciliation conference in Washington, D.C. When initial talks failed, Roosevelt suggested the creation of an arbitration commission to resolve the dispute.

The strike ended on October 23, 1902, when the miners agreed to return to work and the mine owners agreed to submit to arbitration. The commission, which took several months to make a decision, eventually awarded the miners a ten percent wage increase and a reduction in their workday from ten to nine hours. However, the commission did not recognize the union, which was a setback for the UMWA. Despite this, the 1902 coal strike is seen as an early instance where the federal government intervened in a labor dispute as a neutral arbiter rather than explicitly on the side of business owners.