In May, of 1902, 1500,000 coal miners went on a strike demanding for their union to be recognized, from the United Mine Workers; a 20-percent increase in pay and a nine-hour workday. All of the coal mine owners refused to negotiate, so the strike dragged on for five months with no hope of settlement. The nation was going through a severe coal shortage, while winter was approaching.

In October, Roosevelt asked the owners and miners' representatives to come to Washington D.C. Since the owners still refused to negotiate, Roosevelt said that he would appoint an investigative commission and, threatened to use the U.S Army to run the coal mines. At the same time, Roosevelt persuaded the financer John Morgan to talk to the owners of the mine. He got them to agree to arbitration, and they asked Teddy to appoint a commission. Then the miners returned to work. The following year, the commissions report led to the adoption of a nine-hour workday, a ten percent increase in salary, and a process for negotiating disputes within the industry.