After World War II, labor and business relations became more stable, but changes in the economy hurt unions—especially in coal. Machines began replacing miners in the late 1940s, and mining jobs dropped from about 125,000 in 1950 to about 15,000 by 2024. Other industries saw similar changes. As jobs disappeared, many people left West Virginia. With fewer union jobs and more non-union service jobs, union membership in the state declined sharply.