What happened to the miners? Why understanding class is important

I recently watched Harlan County U.S.A. for the umpteenth time. For those who don’t know it, this documentary is centered around a coal miner’s strike in Harlon County Kentucky in 1974. This film is a time capsule showing how hard these workers fought for their rights. But in watching it again I was struck by just how much their political views have changed in the last 40 years.

I am old enough to remember this strike, which was important for several reasons. 1974 was a turning point in the labor movement in the United States, and Harlan County seemed to be at the center of it. There had been a major attempt by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) to organize mines and the workers at the Brookside Pit had voted to join the UMWA. The owners, Eastover Coal Company, a subsidiary of Duke Power, were determined not to accept the union contract because they were worried about future negotiations with their miners in North and South Carolina.

This struggle in Harlan County was taking place against the backdrop of an internal fight over the leadership of the UMWA. Tony Boyle had been president of union, but was viewed a corrupt and in the pockets of the mine owners. He was facing an election against Joseph Yablonski, a former mine worker who was the favorite of many of the rank and file members.

Finally, Harlon County has a history of violent mine strikes. In 1931 5800 miners went on strike when the owners cut wages by 10%. The owners used the full power of the government to attack the workers and break the strike. They hired “private security” to protect the scabs, and then the sheriff deputized them, giving them the ability to literally arrest, brutalize and even shoot at strikers. When strikers fought back, the governor brought in the National Guard, who then attacked the strikers. The strike was broken, and the workers were forced back winning no concessions.

Bayonets keep pickets at bay in bloody Harlan County's little coal war - Life Magazine

In 1974 the miners in this film had a really sharp analysis of how the system worked. They understood that the courts, sheriff, gun thugs and politicians were all controlled by the mining companies. They discussed the need to stand together and organize. They took on the scabs and gun thugs, bringing their own members and arming themselves for protection against enormous forces.

As I watched Harlan County this time I was really amazed at the job that the right wing has done on these workers during the past 40 years. Over half of the mining jobs in Kentucky disappeared between 1980 and 2000. Jobs were then stable until 2013, when the number of jobs in eastern Kentucky began dropping again. The Republicans have said that this was because of regulations, and environmental regulations have played a role. But, as an article on the Kentucky.com website notes, there are other contributing factors, such as the low price of natural gas.

Another factor affecting these workers was one that no one is talking about, but that got a very brief mention in the movie Harlan County U.S.A. For decades the state of Kentucky discouraged and/or prevented other industries from moving in to coal mining areas. They did this at the behest of the coal companies so that there wouldn’t be competition for workers that would force wages up. So the coal industry and the state worked together to make sure that for most workers in eastern Kentucky, the only choice was to go down the mine.

My point in all of this is not to argue Democrat vs Republican. More so it is to point out that in 40 years the miners of eastern Kentucky have gone from using the words “boss” and “businessman” as a curse to helping elect a billionaire. Why has there been such a change?

It is easy to blame racism and xenophobia. And there is certainly a case to be made for the fear of change that has been whipped up by one of the parties. But I feel that there is more at the heart of this. Over the past 40 years both parties have pushed political discussion away from talking about class. No longer do we study the issues of this country by looking at the rich/ruling class and the poor/working class. By removing the idea that society is divided into classes from the national dialogue, the ruling class has been able to convince workers that that rich are just like them and will do what is best for them.

The ruling class has done this in many ways. They have used identity politics to emphasize differences between workers, and similarities between workers and bosses, to get people to support different wings of those who control the country. Identity politics came as a reaction to racism and sexism. It came about because many People of Color and women felt that they were being left behind by the growth of union jobs and educational opportunities during the 1950’s and 1960’s. It came about because of legitimate concerns and grievances. And the ruling class was able to use these concerns to divide workers. They did this in New York by having Albert Shanker take teachers out on a racist strike in 1968 instead of working with Black and Latino parents to figure out how to integrate school staffs. They did it by pitting Native born workers against immigrant workers around the country. And they did it by convincing white workers that they have more in common with billionaires that with Black and Latino workers.

In my opinion we have to bring class identity back into the everyday lives of workers. Until all workers realize that our bosses are not on our side, and that coal miners have more in common with nurses and teachers and fast food workers then they do with their bosses, we will have a country that lets the very rich stay rich and keep their foot on the throat of the workers.