Today’s edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, features Trish Kahle, Assistant Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, who joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss her research on the influence of coal miners on U.S. energy policy and workers' rights. Kahle explored how miners shaped modern citizenship, their role in workplace safety activism and the evolving relationship between energy workers and politics.
Kahle’s book, "Energy Citizenship: Coal and Democracy in the American Century," traces how coal miners in Appalachia left an indelible mark on the U.S. energy system. She explained that miners understood early on how their work could be leveraged to improve living conditions, secure better social benefits and redefine citizenship rights. This activism extended beyond negotiations with coal operators to influencing federal policy on black lung laws and workers' rights legislation.
The 1970 wildcat safety strikes in western Pennsylvania exemplify miners' impact on workplace safety. Kahle detailed how these strikes, defying company injunctions, led to increased enforcement of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act. She said this activism resulted in federal inspectors being placed in the most dangerous mines and gave workers new tools to scrutinize and improve safety conditions. Kahle emphasized that this was part of a longer arc of miners' activism against workplace violence, dating back to the late 19th century.
Kahle also discussed the evolving relationship between energy workers and politics, particularly in light of the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo. She highlighted how coal miners in West Virginia protested gasoline shortages, claiming a right to energy access based on their role in energy production. This incident, Kahle argued, showcases how ordinary working people can deliberate and influence energy policy decisions, challenging the notion that such decisions are confined to halls of Congress.
Listen to the full episode to hear more insights from Kahle on the intersection of energy, labor and politics in American history.