Shadow Kingdom – Coal Survivor | Ep. 7: "Storming the Bastille"
Podcast: Shadow Kingdom
Host(s): Crooked Media & Campside Media
Episode Title: Coal Survivor I 7. Storming the Bastille
Date: September 29, 2025
Overview
This episode continues the dramatic saga of the United Mine Workers' struggle for democracy, unfolding after the assassination of union reformer Jock Yablonski. It centers on the 1972 UMW election—one of the most fiercely contested in labor history—and the aftermath as reformers "storm the Bastille" of union power, physically and symbolically overturning the old corrupt regime under Tony Boyle.
Host Nicolo Majnoni guides listeners through the climactic vote, the celebratory occupation of UMW headquarters, and the reformers’ first true test: organizing embattled miners in Harlan County. The personal, systemic, and collective stakes are palpable as the episode knits together personal loss, institutional renewal, and a looming confrontation with the forces that ordered Yablonski's murder.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Historic UMW Election (00:36–05:40)
- Context: Three years after Jock Yablonski's fatal challenge to Tony Boyle, miners vote again—now between Arnold Miller (reformer) and Boyle (incumbent).
- Oversight: Over 1,000 Labor Department officials oversee what’s described as "the most closely supervised election in labor history" (01:27).
- Tense Atmosphere: Each side employs fierce monitoring; humor and suspicion persist as ballots are escorted by bus to Silver Spring, MD.
- Election Drama: For five days, returns fluctuate; campaigners oscillate between hope and despair.
- Turning Point: Eddie Burke, a feisty miner, notes Tony’s stooge Leroy Patterson leaving town early:
“I went, we got their ass good now because he was skipping town. That's a. I mean, I knew then it's going to be a wipe.” (05:15)
2. Reform Triumphs: The Fall of Tony Boyle (05:40–07:18)
- Victory Called: December 16th, Arnold Miller is declared winner.
“The reform candidate, Arnold Miller is in and the president of the mine workers, Tony Boyle, is out. There is a sense that something new has happened and that this union has opened up to its rank and file.” (05:40)
- Mood Shift: Chip Yablonski (Jock’s son) feels triumphant but haunted by familial loss:
“He had done it. His father's dream come true. … There was also an emptiness. A Jock sized hole in that day.” (05:59)
3. "Storming the Bastille": Taking Over The UMW Headquarters (08:08–14:40)
- Physical and Symbolic Seizure: Hundreds of miners gather at UMW HQ, entering for the first time—the scene is likened to both storming a castle and the Bastille.
“When we took the building, people just flocked, flooded into the building. … It was like a peaceful storming of the Bastille. Rank and file miners penetrated a sanctum they had never seen.” (09:23)
- Culture Clash: Miners marvel at opulence: marble lobbies, a brass gate, a bust of John L. Lewis, a full fleet of Cadillacs, and oil portraits costing six times a miner's salary.
“There were so many of these portraits it took four truckloads to haul them out.” (12:35)
- Occupying Boyle’s Office:
“They took turns sitting in Tony’s chair, mocking his big oak desk and even pretending to write checks to the coal companies.” (11:26)
- Installation of Arnold Miller: Joyful, music-filled swearing-in ceremony; described as "more like a celebration."
“One old union man in the crowd said it had been a long time since he had heard singing in this building.” (14:07)
- Honoring Jock Yablonski: The new crew holds a moment of prayer for Jock.
4. Reform in Action: Cleaning House (16:19–19:29)
- Dismantling Corruption: Cars, paintings, and luxury accoutrements auctioned for symbolism; only members can bid.
“I am a retired coal miner. I would like to drive it around in southwest Virginia to show what Tony Boyle, that rascal, did with our money.” (17:25)
- Financial Audit: “Bob the Kid” (teenage reformer) uncovers millions in checks and bonds at HQ—moves them to legitimate bank accounts.
“I could run an adding machine. I knew numbers better than anybody else and there was nobody else.” (18:13)
- Breaking Ties: UMW divests from coal companies to end inherent conflicts of interest.
“The union promised to put worker safety over company profit.” (18:12)
- Leadership Shuffle: Young reformers assigned major union functions.
5. Test of Leadership: Harlan County Strike (20:41–27:46)
- Unexpected Crisis: Non-union Harlan County miners arrive, seeking help as their strike turns violent.
- Historical Echoes:
“Gunfire is beginning to be heard in the hills. … Women have lain down in the streets and physically attacked non striking workers. After one incident, the women and their children…spent 36 hours in jail.” (22:45–23:12)
- Reformer Response: Chip’s crew back the strike, personally visit Harlan, pay miners’ salaries, and organize a massive rally.
“If his crew could organize miners in Harlan County, they could organize miners anywhere. If they failed here, they would fail on every TV channel in America.” (24:47)
- A New Tactic:
“Let’s not just fight the way unions usually do—picket lines at the mines. Let’s go to the coal company’s natural habitat.” (26:04)
- Wall Street Showdown: The team exposes Duke Power’s double-talk by taking out full-page ads and picketing the NYSE with miners in full gear.
“What I say to the potential buyers of Duke stock, if you buy it, it’s gonna be pretty risky.” (27:27)
6. Victory in Harlan, Looming Justice (27:46–29:25)
- Unionization Win: After 13 months, Duke Power relents; UMW wins contract for Harlan miners.
“The United Mine Workers got a contract this morning. Strike … was settled today. They folded and signed sometime between 3 and 4 in the morning.” (28:02)
- Personal Stakes Remain: With power shifting, Tony Boyle’s lieutenants begin flipping. A prosecutor finally tells Chip:
“We found the smoking gun. Tony is going down.” (29:25)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Miners Entering UMW HQ:
"It was like a peaceful storming of the Bastille. Rank and file miners penetrated a sanctum they had never seen."
— Ed (09:23) -
On Corrupt Leadership:
"We learned that Tony's inner circle had a full fleet of Cadillacs and chauffeurs. ... The paintings cost up to $50,000 each. More than six times a miner's yearly salary."
— Narrator (12:35) -
Chip at Harlan Rally:
"Well, we're here today to tell everybody that we intend to stay here."
— Chip Yablonski (24:47) -
Symbolic Car Auction:
"P.S. please have all Boyle’s germs exterminated at my expense."
— Auction Note (17:36) -
On Breaking Down Corruption:
"I could run an adding machine. I knew numbers better than anybody else and there was nobody else."
— Bob the Kid (18:13) -
On Triumph and Loss:
"There was also an emptiness. A Jock sized hole in that day."
— Narrator (05:59)
Key Timestamps for Major Segments
- Election & Oversight: 00:36–04:34
- Victory Announced: 05:40
- Storming UMW HQ: 08:08–14:40
- Reform Actions (Auction, Finances): 16:19–19:29
- Harlan County Conflict: 20:41–27:46
- Harlan County Win: 28:02
- Loyalists Flip, "Smoking Gun" Found: 29:25
Tone and Storytelling
The episode is immersive, documentary-style, blending first-hand miner perspectives, news audio, and direct, often wry narration. The narrative crackles with tension and catharsis, mixing the grit and dark humor of the strike with moments of profound personal loss and institutional change. The language is vivid and direct, anchored by details (oil paintings, marble floors, picketing on Wall Street) that underscore the real, often surreal, stakes of the struggle for union democracy.
For Listeners New to the Series
Episode 7 brings listeners to the crux of a generational battle for justice in one of America’s most storied (and dangerous) unions. It’s emblematic of Shadow Kingdom’s method: starting with a crime, then peeling back to expose the web of corruption and the power of collective action.
If you missed previous episodes, you're nonetheless dropped into a dramatic fight for the soul of American labor—where each victory comes with both celebration and a sobering reminder of the sacrifices that paved the way.