Sam Church

Samuel Morgan Church, Jr. (September 20, 1936 – July 14, 2009 ) was a coal miner and president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) from 1979 to 1982.

Early life Church was born in Matewan, West Virginia, in 1936 to Samuel and Helen (Cook) Church.

In 1975, Church became an international field representative and a member of Miller's headquarters staff. Mostly recovered by the fall, Miller exhibited many of his autocratic, defensive habits.

UMWA presidency Church's tenure as president of UMWA was a difficult one. An epidemic of wildcat strikes and increasing automation severely affected its membership and revenues. Church set out to reverse the union's decline: In 1981, he led the union out on a two-month nationwide coal strike. After union members rejected a tentative agreement, he negotiated a new contract which led to substantial improvements in benefits.

However, when Church ran for re-election as UMWA president in 1982, he was defeated. Union members were upset that Church had not continued to reform the union. And despite Church's victory in the 1981 coal strike, miners felt the union's collective bargaining power and clout at the worksite had not been restored.

The 1982 UMWA presidential campaign was hard-fought and bitter. Church and his supporters allegedly accused Church's opponent, Richard Trumka, of having ties to Communist and socialist groups and being ineligible to run for president. In the end, however, Trumka won election by a margin of more than two-to-one.

Later life Church remained active in the miners' union after his election loss, however. He became coordinator of the Virginia Coal Miners' Political Action Committee (COMPAC). He also was involved in politics. Church was a former member of the Appalachia, Virginia, town council and Wise County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors.

Church's first marriage produced three children (Samuel 3rd, Melissa, and Suzanne), but ended in divorce. He then married the former Patti Page, an attorney. The couple had one son, Nathaniel.

Church suffered from Parkinson's disease in the last few years of his life, and died in Bristol, Virginia, on July 14, 2009, from complications due to surgery.