It was 8 months into his presidency. The air traffic controllers across the nation were threatening to strike, an act that might have crippled the struggling economic recovery. Reagan seemed to be willing to work with them if they agreed not to strike, but warned that-as federal employees-he would fire them if they did strike.
They went out and he fired them. It is my opinion that this confrontation soured his view of unions and set and adversarial tone between them and Reagan that lasted for his two terms. Anti-union sentiment rocketed and many businesses copied Reagan’s actions to devastating consequence on families and laborers.
This is not a defense of Reagan. It is just the perception of an old man who was alive and voting (for Carter) in those days. I would like to know if the replacement union for the disbanded PATCO ever managed to a) get the newly hired air traffic controllers a raise or b) a reduction in weekly hours.
Next time, get there before them. It’s called “PREponderence.”