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The first coal miners union in the United States, the Workingmens
Benevolent Association, (WBA) was formed in 1868 at Saint Clair. The WBA
struggled for credibility and influence on a regional scale, but they were
able to influence wages and the cost of coal production during the 1860šs
and 1870šs. The WBA and the Miners and Laborers Benevolent Association
collapsed in 1875 in the face of regional market competition and the
stockpiling of anthracite by the large coal companies. This union and the
subsequent National Miners Union, however, laid the groundwork for the birth
of the United Mine Workers.
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