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Annotation 6

9845
As the coal industry slipped into a long, slow decline and oil replaced coal as the nation's No. 1 source of energy, Lewis fought to protect the income and employment security of miners. After briefly affiliating with the AFL, Lewis broke with them again over signing non-Communist oaths required by the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, making the UMW independent again. Lewis, never a Communist himself, refused to allow any of his officials to take the non-Communist oath required by the Taft-Hartley Act; the UMW was therefore denied legal rights protected by the National Labor Relations Board. He denounced Taft-Hartley as authorizing "government by injunction" and refused to follow its provisions, saying he would not be dictated to.

Contents of this annotation:

  1. John L. Lewis addresses Congress of Industrial Organizations about the history of mine accidents and losses