From September, 1913 to December, 1914 over 1200 coal mine workers went on strike in an attempt to acquire safer working conditions. Coal mines in Colorado in 1912 had a casualty rate that was double that of the national average.
Organized by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), the strike was against Colorado mining companies; the three largest being the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company (CF&I), the Rocky Mountain Fuel Company (RMF), and the Victor-American Fuel Company (VAF).
On April 20th, 1914, mining camp guards and militia men opened fire on striking workers in their camp. Between 19 and 26 people were murdered including several wives and children of mine workers.
Miners then armed themselves and attacked several dozen mines over the following ten days. By the end of the violence nearly 200 people were dead.
The owner of CF&I, John D. Rockefeller was largely blamed for the conditions leading to the strike as well as for initiating the massacre against the mine workers.
The workers were demanding an 8 hour workday, pay for "dead work" (anything not involving removing coal from the ground), recognition of the union as a bargaining agent, adherence to Colorado labor laws, pay for 2000 lb tons rather than long tons, discontinuing the use of scrip as means of payment, the right to choose their own doctors and to use any store, and the abolition of company camp guards.
The National Guard of Colorado was deployed by governor Elias Ammons. At first this did much to quell the tension of the strike, but soon the guardsman began to sympathize with the company management and camp guards.
The union which acquired and distributed weapons to the striking workers in order to enable the ten day retaliation eventually ran out of money and called off the strike.
The workers never did get any of their demands met. The strike ended when President Woodrow Wilson sent in federal troops to disarm both sides and help escort non-union workers to replace the striking miners.
Read more:
Wikipedia
PBS
History.com
Howard Zinn: Zinn Education Project
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| Ruins of the Ludlow Colony near Trinidad, Colorado, following an attack by the Colorado National Guard. Forms part of the George Grantham Bain Collection at the Library of Congress. (Click to Enlarge) |
On April 20th, 1914, mining camp guards and militia men opened fire on striking workers in their camp. Between 19 and 26 people were murdered including several wives and children of mine workers.
Miners then armed themselves and attacked several dozen mines over the following ten days. By the end of the violence nearly 200 people were dead.
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| Photo, Ludlow Tent Colony, prior to the Ludlow Massacre. Caption reads: "THE COLORADO TENT COLONY SHOT UP BY THE MILITIA, Ludlow, a canvas community of 900 souls, was riddled with machine guns shooting 400 bullets a minute. Then the tents were burned. The site is private property leased by the miners' union, which has supported the colony seven months." (Click to Enlarge) |
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| Colorado National Guard members preparing to enter the mining colony. (Click to enlarge) |
The owner of CF&I, John D. Rockefeller was largely blamed for the conditions leading to the strike as well as for initiating the massacre against the mine workers.
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| Monument which currently memorializes the site of the massacre. (Click to enlarge) |
The National Guard of Colorado was deployed by governor Elias Ammons. At first this did much to quell the tension of the strike, but soon the guardsman began to sympathize with the company management and camp guards.
The union which acquired and distributed weapons to the striking workers in order to enable the ten day retaliation eventually ran out of money and called off the strike.
The workers never did get any of their demands met. The strike ended when President Woodrow Wilson sent in federal troops to disarm both sides and help escort non-union workers to replace the striking miners.
Read more:
Wikipedia
PBS
History.com
Howard Zinn: Zinn Education Project
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