minewar.org documenting the 1930's Illinois Mine War

Mine War Site ~ Superior No. 4

Former site of Superior Mine No. 4 in Wilsonville, IL. On May 21, 1937, 540 PMA miners called an underground sit-down strike.

The week-long strike was called to protect “share of time” provisions. The striking miners demanded the right to protect one another from the loss of jobs caused by mechanization. If full-time workers could share their hours, layoffs could be prevented and miners could at least earn sustenance wages.

Bill Campion, a member of the strike committee proclaimed, “We demand the right to share our poverty with our fellow workers.”

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