Staff at the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum have unionized, becoming members of the United Mine
Workers of America.
A contract has been signed with UMWA District 17 and Local Union 1440, whose union hall is located just blocks from the site of the Battle of Matewan and the Museum itself.
Local 1440 played a significant role in the establishment of the Museum. Union members were among those who helped found the institution more than a decade ago and have continued to contribute to its mission in numerous ways since its opening.
Museum staff will be part of District 17, a UMWA district with a long history of labor militancy. District 17 was central to efforts to dismantle the “company town” and “mine guard” systems and has been the site of numerous strikes that secured improved wages, benefits, and working conditions for miners across its five-state region. Struggles waged within the district have gone on to influence labor rights nationally and internationally.
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