While Progressives championed reform in American business, militant labor unions began to agitate and organize for improvements in American industry and society. Mineworkers in dangerous and deadly jobs formed industrial unions such as the United Mine Workers of America, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and the WFM. The first two decades of the 20th century were tumultuous in regards to American labor relations with many incidents of strikes, lockouts and violence influencing how workers and management interacted. The Copper Country was no exception. Michigan copper mining companies saw increasing competition from lower cost mines in Montana and Arizona. With an eye toward revenue and profit, Michigan mines continued to seek ways to increase production and reduce the expense of a large workforce. Copper mining managers became suspicious of labor unions, often viewing them as “outside agitators” that might demand higher wages.