The Miners for Democracy (MFD) was a group of coal miners who fought against corruption in the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) in the early 1970s. It began in April 1970, shortly after rebel union leader Jock Yablonski, his wife, and daughter were murdered. Many miners believed union leaders were behind the killings, which pushed members to demand change.

The MFD had strong leaders from both the North and South—Mike Trbovich from Pennsylvania and Arnold Miller from West Virginia. In 1972, after a judge threw out a past union election due to fraud, the MFD chose Miller to run for president and Trbovich for vice president. They won and took control of the union.

While they made some important changes, like better contracts and fairer elections, the group struggled with disagreements and a lack of experience. Miller was re-elected in 1977 but later resigned in 1979, ending the MFD’s time in power.