In 1902 the coal mine workers in Pennsylvania formed a union that initiated a strike that ceased coal production. The union called themselves the United Mine Workers of America and demanded higher wages with shorter workdays. President Roosevelt saw that this strike would negatively affect all of the major cities in the winter and took action. Roosevelt started a commission to help investigate the miners’ conditions and in the passing time he let men who wanted to work to do so under protection from the National Guard against the strikers. In the end the strike ended, the Union got their day in court and won a shorter work day with an additional wage increase by 10%. This incident was the first time the federal government had to intervene with a labor movement and Roosevelt dealt with the situation in a civilized manner which shows why he was one of the greatest presidents of the US.