On august 3, 1981, nearly,000 of the 17,500 members of the professional air traffic controllers organization patco, a united states trade union, staged a walkout and strike. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers, and the. Introduction to the patco curriculum southern labor. The patco strike was, more than any other event of the last halfcentury, a turning point in the relationship between labor and government, as well as the relationship between labor and business. He was the former media spokesperson for patco local sic and was one of the many strikers who lost their jobs after the strike. In august 1981, the professional air traffic controllers organization patco called an illegal strike. Welcome to the official facebook page of the port authority transit corporation patco. Aug 06, 2019 they cover some of the same events, including the flint sitdown strike against general motors in the mid1930s and the disastrous patco strike of air traffic controllers in 1981. I had been an air traffic controller for several years prior to this time, and in fact, worked with one of the people he features in the book. Patco first set a june 22 deadline, but after a strike vote showed less than 80 percent supported a walkout, mr. This excellent book exemplifies a day in the life of those of us who were involved in this extraordinary attempt patco strike to gain some longoverdue. The new president, ronald reagan, fired the strikers, establishing a reputation for both decisiveness and hostility to organized labor. Drawing out the lessons of past defeats is a lifeanddeath matter for workers today.
After reading this book and researching this topic, it seems obvious that the patco strikers were greedy and thought they could paralyze the american economy. This book analyses the rhetorical background and strategies of the professional air traffic controllers organization patco and those of ronald reagan in reference to the 1981 strike. Mr mccartin gives the story of the strike practically all from a view biased toward pro patco. This book is very readable, tells the history of patco and its relationship with the. The first union named professional air traffic controllers organization 1968 was formed in 1968 and was shut down in 1981 following the well known strike. In this essay wsws writer tom mackaman examines the significance for the working class of the 1981 strike by patco air traffic controllers in the us. American airtraffic controllers strike for benefits and. Thirty years since the patco strike contribute to the fight for socialism in 2020 we need you to help the wsws and icfi make 2020 the year of. The consequences of reagan breaking the 81 air traffic. Collision course goodreads meet your next favorite book. Why did ronald reagan fire 11,345 air traffic controllers. May 29, 2019 the patco strike and its repercussions are considered a turning point in labor history where unions became more and more reluctant to use a strike as a negotiation tool, and employers began hiring permanent replacement workers for strikers as normal procedure. Sep 23, 2014 the strike by patco professional air traffic controllers organization, reagans subsequent breaking of the union and the hiring of replacement workers were among the most significant job. But ever since the patco strike failed so colossally, its most.
There is also another book called vectors to spare which has a much more personal take on the situation. By 1982, there was a group at the wharton school that came out with a manual which encouraged business leaders to learn from the patco strike. Identifies the causes and issues of the 1981 air traffic controllers strike, and discusses the impact of the mass firings on the controllers. Of particular importance is the book s insight into the behavior and beliefs of patco members. Polis patco strike was lost for reasons beyond politics. Thats the one where president reagan fired everybody. One view is that patco figured that a disruption of air traffic would force congress to grant it the legal right to strike and to negotiate wages which is also illegal in the federal sector, but the union leadership blundered by overestimating its power. Poli, an air traffic controller who rose to the top of his union and led a 1981 strike that turned into a momentous defeat for organized labor, died sept. Mccartin, the 1981 strike and defeat of patco was one of the most important events in late twentieth century u. The new york times obituary and the book cited therein, collision course. Sep 08, 2011 the book goes through the history of u. Thirty years since the patco strike world socialist web site. Oxford university press, 2011 to veterans of the labor movement, the words patco strike require no further explanation. The mass firing of the patco strikers by us president ronald reagan marked the definitive end of the period of relative class compromise and social reform that had prevailed in the us and other advanced industrial countries since.
A new book says president ronald reagan didnt orchestrate his 1981. Buy a cheap copy of the air controllers controversy book by arthur b. Aug 14, 2006 patco lacked the support of a general strike, which the labor movement was illprepared to organize. The true economic legacy of the reagan years is an uglier practice. He then came back to amazon to organize a strike, thus potentially infecting his coworkers with covid19. They conjure up unpleasant memories of one of the worst disasters to befall organized labor in the late 20th century. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. The professional air traffic controllers organization or patco was a united states trade union that operated from 1968 until its decertification in 1981 following an illegal strike that was broken by the reagan administration. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers, and the strike that.
The defeat of the patco strike presaged not only the collapse of the american trade unions, but of all the labor bureaucracies and political parties that based themselves on nationalism and class compromise. Shostaks book, the air controllers controversylessons from the patco strike, and another book, patco s legacy, also by dr. Two days later, when most patco workers did not return, it became clear that reagan was not bluffing. Reagan and the patco strike of 1981 essay 1580 words. This book offers interesting insight into the patco strike.
The patco strike, reagan and the roots of labors decline. A historical turning point in the class struggle by barry grey 3 august 2006 on this day 25 years ago, august 3, 1981,000 members of the professional air. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers, and the strike that changed america new york. Rank and filers maintained that their work was seriously undervalued and underrewarded. Introductionthis paper focuses on one of the singular yearss in the history of the united states in america that certainly redefined the labour dealingss in that peculiar state schalch. National air traffic controllers association wikipedia. Nov 06, 2011 the book says that the ronald reagan of early 1981 was no union buster, that he had been reaching out for union support and that, in patcos case, he agreed to grant concessions more plentiful. The book provides the definitive account of the most momentous labor dispute of the last halfcentury, the 1981 walkout of the members of the professional air traffic controllers organization patco, which was broken by president ronald reagan an event that altered the course of american labor relations and politics in ways that still echo. Jan 22, 2019 thats more than years, mccartin, who wrote a book about the patco strike, explained. Mccartin, the 1981 strike and defeat of patco was one of the most important. Patcoprofessional air traffic controllers organization. Those memories roared back painfully as i read about the missteps and misjudgments of the professional air traffic controllers organizational patco leadership that georgetown university labor historian joseph a. Ninetyfive percent of the air traffic controllers voted to strike.
Patco s strike soon became a fiasco of diminishing morale and failed public relations. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers, and the strike that changed america. Mccartin, reexamine the internal patco battles and the politics. Sep 29, 2014 the new york times obituary and the book cited therein, collision course. Nor did the aflcio bureaucracy led by lane kirklanda coldwar patriot and class collaboratorhave the stomach for widening the conflict.
Was firing 11,000 federal employees the only option, or the best option available. It follows the union through its demise after ronald reagan this outstanding history begins with the december, 1960 midair collision between a united air lines dc8 and a twa super constellation over. May 12, 2015 the patco strike of 1981 will undoubtedly go down in history as a monument to overplaying ones hand. On august 5, he fired 11,345 of them, writing in his diary that day, how do they explain approving of law breakingto say nothing of violation of an oath taken by each a. Mccartin writes, the strike was the culmination of two decades of escalating conflict between. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers and the strike that changed america, joseph mccartin, one. The day ronald reagan disarmed the american labor movement. When patco went on strike in 1981, ken moffet was the chief federal mediator. Air travel was significantly curtailed, and it took several years and billions of dollars much more than patco had demanded to return the system to its pre strike. Aug 03, 2006 when patco went on strike in 1981, ken moffet was the chief federal mediator. Mccartin likened the patco strike in its historic significance to the pullman railroad strike of 1894 which was put down by federal troops and the homestead steel strike of 1892, which.
The patco strike changed the course of the labor movement. The unions position is that this staff shortage relates directly to the 2006 imposed faa regulations. Were they to strike today, federal workers could face. I was only fourteen years old when it occurred and i had no strong opinions about labormanagement issues, etc. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers and the strike that changed america, joseph mccartin, one of the nations leading scholars on the decline of the.
He says the union wanted a shorter work week and higher pay. The patco strike of 1981 will undoubtedly go down in history as a monument to overplaying ones hand. Poli negotiated past the midnight deadline to a settlement reached, he said, with. Patco lacked the support of a general strike, which the labor movement was illprepared to organize. The book says that the ronald reagan of early 1981 was no union buster, that he had been reaching out for union support and that, in patco s case, he agreed to grant concessions more plentiful. Aug 06, 2011 this fourth installment in a series marking the 30th anniversary of the patco strike examines the role of the aflcio bureaucracy in isolating the strike, and the role of the workers league in. The union intended the strike to address four main concerns. It is affiliated with the aflcio, and is the exclusive bargaining representative for air traffic controllers employed by the federal aviation administration faa. As of january 2008, the faa documented about 11,000 air traffic controllers, which is the lowest number since the 1981 patco strike.
Thats more than years, mccartin, who wrote a book about the patco strike, explained. Patcoprofessional air traffic controllers organization, stuart, fl. Were referring to the 1981 patco professional air traffic controllers organization strike. The patco strike turned so tragically on miscalculations, miscommunications, and isunderstandings. Aug 04, 2014 the patco strike happened at this important turning point in american history, and it left a very profound legacy, because, as you say, ronald reagan first threatened those strikers to return to. Mccartin writes, the strike was the culmination of two decades of escalating. Oct 31, 2018 at first glance, one might be forgiven for thinking that a history of america in ten strikes is some kind of socialmediadriven listicle book. Mccartin, reexamine the internal patco battles and the politics with president reagan as their primary themes. Its unwillingness to seriously deal with continuing controller concerns over job stress, retirement plans, and salary inequities, along with patco s own organizational problems, made the 1981 strike inevitable. Author erik loomis, a historian and union member at the university of rhode island, is a wellknown blogger, and his excellent twitter threads on labor history show hes digitally savvy. Because it was illegal for federal employees to go on strike, their startling walkout appeared to everyone even hardcore union honchos were scratching their heads as a clearcut violation of. The consequences of reagan breaking the 1981 air traffic. There are two competing views on why the patco membership struck.
Labor history is full of such missteps, and mccartin skillfully points out how disturbingly and mundanely fragile our organizations and institutions really are. The second union professional air traffic controllers organization afscme was formed, as the note above mentions, in 1996. Moffet says the strikers believed if they were gone, the. Included are personal notes and correspondence, newspaper and magazine articles, various union and government. The work examines the applicable federal statute, which provided and encouraged more leeway than the. They cover some of the same events, including the flint sitdown strike against general motors in the mid1930s and the disastrous patco strike of. In august 1981, the professional air traffic controllers organization patco called an. How the air traffic controllers strike changed everything. Mccartin documents excruciatingly in his new book about the patco strike, collision course. Following failed efforts to reach a contract agreement, the professional air traffic controllers organization patco, a union affiliate of the aflcio, polled its members for a strike vote on 31 july 1981. As this book states, the strike was the culmination of two decades of. It also represents a range of workers related to the air traffic control atc industry, and the faa itself.
The collection, in ten legalsize document boxes, is composed of research materials collected by dr. The patco strike happened at this important turning point in american history, and it left a very profound legacy, because, as you say, ronald reagan first threatened those strikers to return to. Patcos strike soon became a fiasco of diminishing morale and failed public relations. The patco strike was, more than any other event of the last halfcentury, a turning point in the relationship between labor and government, as well as. Ronald reagan, the air traffic controllers, and the strike that changed america by joseph a. The national air traffic controllers association natca is a labor union in the united states. Professional air traffic controllers organization 1968. Arthur b shostak, much of which was used in writing his book, the air controllers controversylessons from the patco strike. Ronald reagan fired all the airtraffic controllers and destroyed their patco union.