Italian Hall Disaster - Background

Background

The Calumet and Hecla Mining Company ("C&H") was formed from the consolidation of the Calumet and Hecla mining companies in 1871. C&H was the single largest copper mining company in Michigan's copper country, which includes Copper Island. One of the longest strikes in the copper country took place in 1913, and included all the C&H mines. The Western Federation of Miners first established a local in the area in 1908 but it wasn't until 1913 that the WFM had a large enough membership to effectively strike. At the time, there were perhaps 15,000 men working in the mines and the WFM claimed 9,000 of them as members. The membership voted in favor of demanding union recognition from management, and asking "for a conference with the employers to adjust wages, hours, and working conditions in the copper district of Michigan." The membership also voted to "declare a strike" if management refused to "grant a conference or concessions." After the vote was held, the WFM sent letters to the mines demanding the conference; the mine managers refused the request and the strike was called on July 23, 1913. The strike would not end until April, 1914; the miners and the mines were still at a standoff at Christmas, 1913, in a strike that was then five months old.