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United Mine Workers of America Contract Expires
Labor contract between United Mine Workers of America and coal operators expires. Contract provides a wage of $6.10 per day -
Illinois Miners Strike
Miners reject coal operators demand for reduced wages. Miners strike state-wide. -
Contract Vote
Illinois miners overwhelmingly reject $5/day contract. 224 of 240 locals reject offer. -
Contract Vote
After District 12 President, John Walker and UMWA President, John L. Lewis campaign for the $5/day wage, Illinois miners vote on the contract. -
Ballots Stolen
Two armed thugs steal ballots. Witnesses report automobile of District 12 Vice President, Fox Hughes used for get-away. Ballots overwhelmingly oppose new contract. John L. Lewis declares emergency and notifies coal operators that contract offer is accepted. -
Joe Colbert Killed
First martyr of the mine war. Shot near Orient, Illinois. -
State Militia Ordered To Taylorville, IL
Governor Horner sends orders troops to Taylorville. Brigadier General Tom Hammond states %u201CThe move is merely a precautionary measure.%u201D -
Pickets Close Peabody Mines
Progressive picketers stop coal production in Taylorville & surrounding area. -
Domenic Laurenti Murdered
Killed at Zigler, IL. -
Mulkeytown March
Caravan of 25,000 miners march to win support of Southern Illinois miners. Marchers pledge peaceful picketing. Sheriff's deputies & thugs intercept caravan near Mulkeytown, IL. Marchers beaten and cars damaged in melee. Charlie McCreaken, divisional superintendent of the Peabody Coal company sarcastically thanks marchers for "moonlight party." -
Progressive Miners of America Founded
25,000 Illinois miners split from the United Mine Workers. Founding convention, Gillespie, IL. -
"Progressive Miner" Newspaper Launched
Edited by Gerry Allard. "The Progressive Miner will reflect the struggles of the coal miners for the building of union organizations and their struggles to raise themselves from the hellish holes of poverty and degradation that capitalism has placed them in. It will conduct and educational program for the stimulation of the intellectual powers of the mine workers...It will expose the exploitation of the masters of industry, depicting forcefully the class struggle." -
Mass Arrests In Taylorville
Hundreds of picketers arrested. Officials report a roaming band of about 300 members of the %u201CBonus Expeditionary Force%u201D of war veterans were among those arrested. -
Andres Gynes Murdered
State militia shoot Gynes at Tovey, IL. -
City Council Authorizes Resistance With Force
Taylorville City Council acts to curb activities of Illinois National Guard units stationed in the Christian county mining area. The resolution was supported with a 4,000-word opinion written by City Attorney Leal W. Reese which declared that citizens have a right to forcefully resist illegal attempts to arrest them. Any person %u201Cillegally arrested, abused, or assaulted has the right to resist the arrest with force.%u201D -
Founding Convention of the PMA Women's Auxiliary
Agnes Burnes Wiecke is elected president. James P. Cannon later writes, "The great importance of organizing the women, even where they are not directly employed in industry, was brought out very clearly in this experience. The Women%u2019s Auxiliary of the Progressive Miners set the pace for the whole labor movement and by right holds first place as the real pioneer." -
A.F. of L. Rules Against Progressive Miners
William Green, President of the American Federation of Labor rules that the Progressive Miners of America is a dual union. -
Moweaqua Mine Disaster
54 miners killed underground in methane gas explosion. To commemorate the loss, 50 women appear in black at the January 26 Women's Auxiliary march in Springfield, IL -
Emma Cumerlato Murdered
Emma Cumerlato, miner%u2019s wife and mother of three children, "shot through the heart when she opened the door of her home to save her husband from the terrific gunfire of Lewis-Peabody thugs and Sheriff Wieneke%u2019s deputies attacking pickets at the nearby Kincaid mine." -
Women's Auxiliary March On State Capitol
10,000 women demonstrate in Springfield for the restoration of civil liberties in the coal fields. Governor Horner grants an audience but does nothing to address their concerns. -
John Walker Re-elected
John H. Walker was re-elected President of Illinois District 12 of the United Mine Workers of America -
Demand Governor Restore Civil Rights In Franklin County
The forces of "law and order" in Franklin county showed themselves in their true light last Sunday at a PMA organizing meeting in West Frankfort. Four men and four women were severely beaten by U.M.W.A. gun thugs working in conjunction with county and local authorities. A telegram of protest was dispatched to Governor Horner and a delegation from the injured elected to call on the Governor in person, and demand that civil rights be guaranteed. From "The Progressive Miner" -
John Ward Murdered
West Frankfort, IL -
Henry Arnold Murdered
Du Quoin, IL -
James Attes Murdered
Du Quoin, IL -
Lewis Meets With PMA
Organized by the Social Justice Commission in St. Louis, Lewis attempts to dominate meeting. "They have left their father's home," Lewis said, referring to the revolt of the Progressives, "And now there is no mercy for them." Agnes Burns Wieck provoked Lewis into a rage when she told the conference of a dying miner's wife last words were curses for Lewis. The conflict remains unresolved. -
Tom Urban Murdered
Springfield, IL -
Gus Callas Murdered
West Frankfort, IL -
John Hiltrop, Jr. Murdered
London Mills, IL -
William Chaney Murdered
Christopher, IL -
Melvin Staples Murdered
Springfield, IL -
Clyde Williams Murdered
Galatia, IL -
Samuel Ronchetti Murdered
Kincaid, IL -
Harry Jones Murdered
Bulpitt, IL -
Joe Sigler Murdered
Shot September 10 in Bulpitt, IL -
Harry Newkirk Murdered
Harrisburg, IL -
John Sears Murdered
Harrisburg, IL -
Edris Mabie Murdered
Springfield, IL -
Wagner Act Passed
The new law protects the rights of most workers in the private sector to organize labor unions, to engage in collective bargaining, and to take part in strikes and other forms of concerted activity in support of their demands. The PMA opposes the new law. -
CIO Founded
Initially the Committee of Industrial Organization, the Congress of Industrial Organizations was a federation of unions proposed by John L. Lewis to organize industrial workers. The PMA is not affiliated. -
Fred Gramlich, Sr. Murdered
Springfield, IL -
AFL Suspends CIO Unions
10 CIO unions expelled for dualism. Among those is the United Mine Workers of America. In 1938, these unions form the Congress of Industrial Organizations as a rival labor federation. -
Mother Jones Monument Dedicated
Commissioned and funded by the Progressive Miners of America, the dedication ceremony was attended by an estimated 50,000 people in the tiny town of Mt. Olive, IL. Lewis attempted to secure an injunction to prevent the monument from being built. -
PMA Indictments
41 federal indictments were issued in connection with 23 railroad bombings, six attempted bombings, and one railroad bridge burning which occurred between December 17, 1932 and August 8, 1935. The first time in U.S. history that indictments were returned on the federal anti-racketeering act against a labor union. -
Willsonville Sit Down Strike
PMA Local 1 workers initiate an 8-day 'stay down' strike to challenge mine mechanization and resulting job loss. Joe Ozanic, national president of the Progressive Miners, disclaimed responsibility for the action and said the strike was 'unauthorized.' -
Progressives Join AFL
The Progressive Miners of America, rival to John L. Lewis' United Mine Workers in Illinois, join the American Federation of Labor. -
PMA Federal Trial Verdict
34 members of the Progressive Miners of America and two others charged with conspiring to violate the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and interfering with U.S. mail found guilty of all charges. Federal district attorney, Welly Hopkins, who was appointed to prosecute the Progressives was later hired as chief counsel of the United Mine Workers. -
DuQuoin Boys Released
Imprisoned for the accidental killing of a 12-year-old girl during a mine war battle, a nation-wide campaign and rare collaboration of the UMWA, PMA and the girl's father result in their release. Former PMA editor Gerry Allard leads the national committee for their release. PMA officials Jack Battuello and Dave Reed are later kicked out of the union for leading the collaboration.
