Matewan << MATE wuhn >> Massacre was a shootout in the town of Matewan, in the state of West Virginia in the eastern United States, on May 19, 1920, between local citizens and agents hired by the Stone Mountain Coal Company. The gun battle arose out of labor disputes between the company and Matewan coal miners who had joined the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) trade union .
The UMW was formed in 1890 to help improve coal miners’ pay, working conditions, and working hours. In an effort to achieve these goals, the UMW organized strikes (work stoppages) and bargained with coal companies. Coal miners began to gain some improvements. The strikes and labor negotiations often became heated, however, leading to a number of violent incidents. By 1920, many West Virginia coal miners had joined the UMW. The state’s Stone Mountain Coal Company discouraged its workers from joining the union. The company fired workers who became union members and then evicted them and their families from company housing built near coal mines.
In the mining community of Matewan, the mayor and sheriff refused to carry out evictions ordered by Stone Mountain. In response, the company hired armed agents. On May 19, 1920, the agents forced the residents of several homes in the nearby coal camp out of their homes. The mayor and sheriff confronted the agents after they returned to Matewan. Gunshots rang out and a general battle erupted as armed citizens began firing on the agents. Seven of the 13 hired agents were killed, as were the Matewan mayor and 2 miners.
Coal industry violence continued after the Matewan Massacre, eventually leading to a large battle at Blair Mountain, West Virginia, in August 1921. There, thousands of miners fought with police, hired agents, and eventually federal troops. The miners surrendered after a four-day battle. More than a dozen of people were killed and hundreds were arrested. After the battle, union membership dropped sharply.
In 1933, the federal government’s National Industrial Recovery Act established the right of labor unions to engage in collective bargaining. In this process, representatives of workers and employers meet to establish conditions of employment that will be acceptable to both sides. The National Industrial Recovery Act also established minimum wages, shortened workdays, and improved working conditions. Union membership dramatically increased after the act was passed.
