PITTSTON COAL COMPANY STRIKE TAPE
1989

East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338

INTRODUCTION

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance: The Pittston Coal Company Strike Tape was donated to the archives by Joe Gragg, videographer for WKPT-TV, Kingsport, Tennessee, on behalf of the station, on November 30, 1989.

Access Restriction: Public use of the tape must give credit to WKPT-TV. Otherwise, the tape is open for research.

Processing Information: Processing of the tape was completed in August 1992 by Marie Tedesco.

HISTORICAL NOTE

On April 5, 1989 the United Mine Workers (UMW) called a strike against the Pittston Coal Group for unfair labor practices. Miners had worked 14 months without a contract before the UMW called the strike. Among the practices cited by UMW were the discontinuing of medical benefits for pensioners, widows, and the disabled; refusal to contribute to a benefit trust established in 1950 for miners who retired before 1974; and refusing to bargain in good faith. Miners in Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia struck against Pittston. The miners and their families engaged in a civil disobedience campaign against the company. The strike led to violence between strikers and company representatives; state troopers were called out to arrest striking miners. The strike ended on February 20, 1990 when miners voted to ratify a contract with Pittston.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Pittston Coal Company Strike Tape contains footage of strike activities in Southwest Virginia taken by WKPT-TV, Kingsport, Tennessee, in 1989.

Important subjects covered include:

Pittston Coal Company Strike
Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining
United Mine Workers of America

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Series I, PITTSTON COAL COMPANY STRIKE TAPE, 1989.

This series consists of one 60-minute u-matic video cassette which contains footage of strike activities in Southwest Virginia taken by WKPT-TV, Kingsport, Tennessee in 1989. Strike activities taped include roadside picketing, sit-ins at the entrance to Pittston mines, and strike rallies.

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MTC 06/01 - modified GKY 03/13/02