Reagan Remembered For New Era Of Union-Busting

[Solidarity]

Reagan remembered for new era of union-busting

By Barb Kucera, Workday Minnesota editor
June 7, 2004

MINNEAPOLIS — As memorial events are held this week for the late President Ronald Reagan, journalists, pundits and others are evaluating his legacy. Among labor activists, his presidency will be remembered as the start of a new era of union-busting.

His actions highlighted a little known union – PATCO, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization – and exposed weaknesses in the labor movement that put unions on the defensive throughout the 1980s.

PATCO was one of a small handful of unions that endorsed Reagan in his bid to defeat incumbent President Jimmy Carter in 1980. But just months after Reagan took office, PATCO members found that support meant nothing.

Faced with the longest working hours of any air traffic controllers in the world, PATCO members sought to relieve the stress of their jobs through changes in their union contract with the Federal Aviation Administration. Their main demands centered on safer working conditions, including a 32-hour workweek, updated computer equipment and retirement after 20 years of service.

When the Reagan administration balked at these demands, PATCO called a strike. Federal employees however, are forbidden by law to walk off their jobs. On the first day of the strike on Aug. 3, 1981, some 15,000 controllers went out, causing the cancellation of thousands of airline flights across the country. Two days later, Reagan fired the striking controllers.

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/view_article.php?id=69f8e1128f25ca08dc6ef4d669e55c05

[louis c]

1. Absolutely correct

And the assholes in office now want to finish the job. Every Union in the country is against Bush, this is unprecedented.

[Solidarity]

2. Reagan Saluted On House Floor For Strike-Breaking

David Dreier, Republican from California, just saluted Ronald Reagan on the floor of Congress for "digging in and fighting to win" against the air traffic controllers union and strike.

[outinforce]

3. Every Single Federal Employee Takes An Oath

Every single Federal Employee, when s/he begins employment with the Federal Government, signs her/his name to a piece of paper.

One of the things each Federal Employee promises is not to strike against the Federal Government.

Every single Federal Employee.

Including every single Air Traffic COntroller represented by PATCO.

PATCO chose to call a strike against the Federal Government, and in so doing, led its own membership to be removed from the Federal Service for violating their signed promises not to strike.

It as a terrible mistake for PATCO leadership to put the jobs of thier members in such jeopardy.

And one more point that your artilce fails to mention. Reagan gave all of the striking Air Traffic COntrollers the opportunity to return to their jobs and not be removed from the Federal Serivice, but he warned them that if they were not back to work within a day or two, they would be terminated.

[FloridaPat]

4. Yes the union leadership didn't know what they were doing.

But none of the other unions backed PATCO. The head of the AFL-CIO flew around the country as usual. The airline unions crossed the picket lines. Everyone crossed the picked lines. The airline unions even came out and said things were better without the controllers.

Reagan gave us 48 hours to get back to work. Then the black listing started. Illegal blacklisting, but since when has something being illegal ever stopped the republicans. Not only were we blacklisted from any federal jobs, but even as sub-contractors. This lasted until Clinton became president and allowed us to reapply for controller jobs and federal jobs.

Reagan also stopped New York from allowing striking controllers to get unemployment - legal in NY for strikers. He redid food stamps so none could get food stamps. He influenced courts - again illegal - to not hear any of the law suits brought against the government.

That was the day I realized the press did what the government wanted it to do. That politicans aren't interested in truth or justice and can do what they want to whomever they want. I lost a government that day. I lost a country when we invaded Iraq.

Reagan was a creep and a liar and a republican.

[outinforce]

5. "The Polticians Can Do What They Want"

Sorry, but you will not get a lot of sympathy from me.

Federal Service is a privilige -- not a right. Serving the American People is a trust.

That is why every Federal Employee signs her/his name to a statement promising not to strike against the Federal Government.

I am sorry that you apparently did not understand that.

I am also sorry that you chose to remain off of work while the rest of the Federal Work Force reported as required in 1981.

Living with consequences can sure be a real pain.

[theboss]

6. I lay a lot of the blame at union leadership for that fiasco

I was just a kid when it happened, but I remember my grandfather (who went on strike when strikes were strikes) screaming that there should have been an immediate national strike by every union in the country. No one made a peep.

I'm obviously angry at Reagan for doing it, but at least he was acting in character.