Blood Runs Coal

The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America

By: Mark A. Bradley

Narrated by: Perry Daniels

In the early hours of New Year's Eve 1969, in the small soft-coal-mining borough of Clarksville, Pennsylvania, longtime trade union insider Joseph "Jock" Yablonski and his wife and daughter were brutally murdered in their old stone farmhouse. Seven months earlier, Yablonski had announced his campaign to oust the corrupt president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), Tony Boyle. Yablonski wanted to return the union to the coal miners it was supposed to represent. Boyle was enraged about his opponent's bid to take over - and would go to any lengths to maintain power.

The most infamous crimes in the history of American labor unions, the Yablonski murders triggered one of the most intensive and successful manhunts in FBI history - and also led to the first successful rank-and-file takeover of a major labor union in modern US history, one that inspired workers in other labor unions to rise up and challenge their own entrenched, out-of-touch leaders.

Blood Runs Coal comes at a time of resurgent labor movements in the United States and the current administration's attempts to bolster the fossil-fuel industry. Brilliantly researched and compellingly written, it sheds light on the far-reaching effects of industrial and socioeconomic change that unfold across America to this day.

©2020 Mark A. Bradley (P)2020 Kalorama

Really well told and we’ll performed

Incredible book. As unions are growing in influence today I think it’s necessary to consider what can go wrong with the way they work to prevent the mistakes of the past. Every American should know Jock Yablonsky’s name. One of americas great martyrs

Creepy Tale

This is an excellent telling of the story of the brutal Yablonski murders. The first half of the book tends to drone on a bit, but lays the foundation for an understanding of the corruption that was rife in the coal mining industry and in the upper echelons of the union. The second half is intensely gripping. Narration is good.
One quibble: "internecine" is pronounced in ter NEE' cin; think Liam Neeson.

Every union member should listen to this book!

As a dedicated union reformer I found inspiration in this book. I am intent on bringing democratic reforms to my union- UAW. Thank you for writing this important story. Thanks to the Yablonski family who’ve suffered so much for the Labor Movement.

Thorough, detailed, not terribly engaging

Perhaps my expectations were too high. At first glance, I imagined the story as written by John Sayles in Union Dues. Or as a companion film to Matewan. What we get is a rather dry recitation of the union corruption, an insider who though no angel himself thought a change needed to be made, and the measures taken by those in power to stop the change. The story sounds like it has potential, but it just fell a bit flat for me.

Adequate, But Dry and Unbalanced

There are some useful tidbits in the book. The discussions of the trials are adequate. Unfortunately, the author tends to be a cheerleader for assorted outside, leftist agitators. Also, the author airbrushed and made several excuses for Union Boss Richard Trumka’s regime. The author’s short comings regrettably diminished an otherwise great story of rank and file taking over its own union, at least for a short time.