>> C) My use of the term " Mine Workers Union " was
>> a generic version of The United Mine Workers of
>> America, and its' predecessors. I don't believe
>> anyone thought otherwise, yourself included.

> I could guess that you were referring to the UMWA, but I really wasn't sure.

The term George typed is "Coal Miner's Union", and since he capitalized it, he meant it to be a proper name. However, no such union by this name has ever existed. If George meant it in the general sense of unions representing coal miners, he should have typed "coal miner's union", without capitals. It's the same distinction as "Catholic" referring to the Roman Catholic Church and "catholic" meaning "general" (as in the sense of all-inclusive).

>The Federal Hours of Service rules are a direct result of rail & Teamsters unions' safety efforts.

The Hours of Service Act was passed by Congress in 1907, and the Teamsters had nothing to do with it. Later on, the Highway Administration and the FAA (or it's forerunner) based their statutes and regulations on it.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers is the first labor union, c1863. Since the Civil War was on, they founders had to meet in secret lest they be labeled traitors.

>How about the famous Railroad Fireman Featherbedding issues of the 1960's ???

Well, these started c1920 when the railroads started buying oil-electrics. By 1960s, both sides had deliberately exacerbated the situation.