As the 20th century approached, many miners were increasingly unhappy. Long hours, low pay, the exploitative scrip system, and more contributed to the second rise of mining unions. These included the rather passive Workingmen’s Benevolent Association (WBA) in 1868, formed largely by British, Irish, and German immigrants. But not everyone was ready to play nice.
Amongst Irish-American miners, the group known as the Molly Maguires became notorious for allegedly violent reprisals against mine operators. Taking cues from earlier Irish secret societies, the American Molly Maguires targeted owners, managers, and scabs who worked despite strikes. Their tactics were said to include death threats known as “coffin notices”, beatings, and assassinations. In 1870s Pennsylvania, 24 mine supervisors were allegedly killed by members of the Molly Maguires. A private investigator’s testimony during the subsequent court trial contributed to 20 death sentences, including 10 carried out on June 21, 1877. However, historians now believe that the trial was sensationalized and the sentences were not fairly handed down. Few accept that the Molly Maguires were as organized as 19th-century fears would lead one to think.
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The dramatic downfall of the Molly Maguires gave anti-union figures fuel to effectively dismantle the WBA, but other unions soon arose in its place. In 1890, the national United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) formed and gained many members after high-tension mining strikes broke out in 1897, setting the stage for the mine labor conflicts of the 20th century.
