Phil Penna (November 1857 – 5 January 1939) was an American labor leader, and president of the

United Mine Workers of America The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American Labor history of the United States, labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing worke ...

(UMWA) from 1895 to 1896. John McBride, president of UMWA, had won election as president of the

American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...

in 1895, unseating Samuel Gompers. McBride resigned to take the position, and Penna was elected his successor. The continuing Long Depression severely depressed employment, wages and benefits for

coal miners People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ro ...

during his tenure. McBride had led the Bituminous Coal Miners' Strike—an unsuccessful eight-week national coal miners' strike—the year before Penna's presidency, which encouraged hundreds of non-union mines to flood the market for coal. During Penna's presidency, membership in the Mine Workers fell from 13,000 to 9,700, and the union's treasury dropped from $2,600 to $600. Penna suspended union operations, stopped publishing the union newsletter and ceased paying per capita dues to the AFL. Penna did not run for re-election. His successor was

Michael Ratchford Michael D. Ratchford (August 1860 – December 12, 1927) was an Irish-American labor leader and president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) from 1897 to 1898. Ratchford is remembered for his leadership of a coal strike during the summer ...

References

*Coleman, McAlister. ''Men and Coal.'' New York: Farrar and Rinehart, 1943. *Fink, Gary M., ed. ''Biographical Dictionary of American Labor.'' Westport, Ct.: Greenwood Press, 1984. 1857 births 1939 deaths Presidents of the United Mine Workers American trade unionists of English descent Trade unionists from Indiana Trade unionists from Cornwall English emigrants to the United States {{worker-activist-stub