Background
White, John Phillip was born on February 28, 1870 in Coal Valley, Rock Island Company, Illinois, United States. Son of Joseph and Catherine (Byrnes) White.
Miner trade unionist chairperson
White, John Phillip was born on February 28, 1870 in Coal Valley, Rock Island Company, Illinois, United States. Son of Joseph and Catherine (Byrnes) White.
Educational public schools.
He joined the United Mine Workers and was eventually elected District 13 secretary-treasurer in 1899. He became the district president from 1904 to 1907 and again from 1909 to 1912. He was elected an UMWA international vice president in 1909, serving for two years.
He was elected president of UMWA in 1911 after pledging to unite the union"s warring factions.
lieutenant is generally concluded that he was successful. During his presidency, the Colorado Coal Strike of 1913-1914 and Ludlow Massacre occurred.
He is generally considered a progressive UMWA president Although he was a political conservative, he forced through an amendment to the UMWA constitution forbidding membership in the National Civic Federation.
White is well known for two actions which eventually determined the course of the labor movement in the United States.
In 1912, he forced delegates of the UMWA convention to approve a resolution asking the American Federation of Labor to endorse industrial unionism. He also appointed John L. Lewis to be UMWA"s chief statistician, a position which would allow Lewis to launch his own successful, historic run for the union presidency. He resigned from UMWA in 1917 to serve as a consultant to the National Fuel Commission during World War I.
After the war, he worked as a field representative for UMWA. He died in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1934.
Member Elks, Eagles, Foresters of America.
Married Ida Berthold, of Burlington, Iowa, February 27, 1891.