Remember Patco?

[Dea Certe]

I don't know how many of you were around during PATCO's strike. PATCO was the Air Traffic Controllers union. They were working under horrible conditions with out-dated equipment. As I recall, that was their biggest complaint. They were worried about air traffic congestion and not having the best technology to do their jobs-- keeping the flying public safe.

Of course, the press focused on the issue on money. It was all about how the ATC'ers wanted a raise. Few reports mentioned that the equipment then in use required vacuum tubes that were so out-dated, they had to be purchased in some Eastern European country.

Since the ATC'ers were considered federal employees, it was Reagan's position they couldn't strike. But they did. And Reagan fired them. The public cheered! Old Ron sure showed those greedy unions what was what!

I was pretty young back then. I didn't understand much about unions or their place in our society. I was extremely worried about flying during that time, but didn't know what to do.

I don't recall if any other union came to their support or aid. I'm hoping some of the old timers here or Labor scholars can give me the history of exactly what went down, other than thousands of brave men and women who lost careers while trying to serve the public safety.

The ATC now has a new union, NATCA, I believe. I understand they are still facing the same problems PATCO hoped to remedy.

I would appreciate any information or references!

Thanks!

Dea

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

When the PATCO controllers were fired, the AFL-CIO failed to come to their aid and the result was a disaster for the labor movement in this country. This gave the go-head by the likes of Lorenzo and others to try and destroy the unions in all industries. Some people will cry that PATCO's strike was illegal. Well, almost everything we enjoy today like the 8 hour day and 5 day workweek were won by illegal strikes! People went to jail and some people died fighting for what they believed in. Bear in mind the American revolution was "illegal" also.

I have heard people say that PATCO deserved what they got by supporting reagan's election campaign. Considering that AFL-CIO endorsed President jimmy carter had developed a plan with the FAA to replace the controllers with scabs, if they struck. I can see why PATCO supported reagan. Especially, after reagan sent PATCO that infamous letter stating that reagan would "help the controllers get what they needed", if reagan was elected.

When reagan doublecrossed the controllers, organized labor in this country should have shut this country down. Labor didn't act and we are still paying for it today.

 

[Buck]

When the PATCO controllers were fired, the AFL-CIO failed to come to their aid and the result was a disaster for the labor movement in this country. This gave the go-head by the likes of Lorenzo and others to try and destroy the unions in all industries. Some people will cry that PATCO's strike was illegal. Well, almost everything we enjoy today like the 8 hour day and 5 day workweek were won by illegal strikes! People went to jail and some people died fighting for what they believed in. Bear in mind the American revolution was "illegal" also.

I have heard people say that PATCO deserved what they got by supporting reagan's election campaign. Considering that AFL-CIO endorsed President jimmy carter had developed a plan with the FAA to replace the controllers with scabs, if they struck. I can see why PATCO supported reagan. Especially, after reagan sent PATCO that infamous letter stating that reagan would "help the controllers get what they needed", if reagan was elected.

When reagan doublecrossed the controllers, organized labor in this country should have shut this country down. Labor didn't act and we are still paying for it today.

[post="204343"][/post]​

Just as it is today! Labor does not react!

 

[aafsc]

Just as it is today! Labor does not react!

[post="204356"][/post]​

And they did not react at EAL.

 

[Hopeful]

By no means am I defending Reagan, but NO federal employee can strike the gov't. When you get hired in any capacity in the government, you sign a piece of paper stating that you will not participate in a strike against the government.
Be it a postal worker, serviceman, FBI agent, you name it.

What PATCO shouldve done is go BY THE BOOK and have the planes stacked up from here to eternity. PATCO had legitimate gripes about working conditions and thought they would shut the ATC system down to a grinding halt. When Reagan issued his ultimatum, he gave them until their next scheduled shift to return to work. They stood their ground and they were fired.

In came the military to handle a reduced, but functional ATC system.

Would you call the military SCABS?


The bottom line is had the AFL-CIO acted and shut the country down, labor would've won a major victory. Instead they did nothing. The mighty AFL-CIO failed to see the ramifications of a union getting decertified and even though they were barred from striking, corporate America saw they had a friend in government and that was the beginning of the end for unions in this country.

The AFL-CIO also stood by and did nothing when the IAM struck Eastern Airlines.
The IAM would not let the railroads be shut down because of fear of going to jail.

What do we see now? UAL and USAIR getting raped in the bankruptcy courts of their pensions, salaries, benefits and overall livelihoods.
We are all next on the chopping black.

What does the AFL-CIO do? NOTHING?


In 1946, President Harry Truman threatened striking railroad engineers and workers with being drafted unless they halted their strike. Goes to show you that
NO president, democrat or republican will allow a major strike, especially in economic times like these and in the transporation sector.

The last time the unions had balls and stuck together was in 1966. Eastern, National, Northwest, Trans World and United IAM represented workers went on strike for I believe over six weeks.This was during the Vietnam war. They got for us most of the gains that until now we recently enjoyed, holidays, sick time, you name it.

 

[Buck]

By no means am I defending Reagan, but NO federal employee can strike the gov't. When you get hired in any capacity in the government, you sign a piece of paper stating that you will not participate in a strike against the government.
Be it a postal worker, serviceman, FBI agent, you name it.

What PATCO shouldve done is go BY THE BOOK and have the planes stacked up from here to eternity. PATCO had legitimate gripes about working conditions and thought they would shut the ATC system down to a grinding halt. When Reagan issued his ultimatum, he gave them until their next scheduled shift to return to work. They stood their ground and they were fired.

In came the military to handle a reduced, but functional ATC system.

Would you call the military SCABS?
The bottom line is had the AFL-CIO acted and shut the country down, labor would've won a major victory. Instead they did nothing. The mighty AFL-CIO failed to see the ramifications of a union getting decertified and even though they were barred from striking, corporate America saw they had a friend in government and that was the beginning of the end for unions in this country.

The AFL-CIO also stood by and did nothing when the IAM struck Eastern Airlines.
The IAM would not let the railroads be shut down because of fear of going to jail.

What do we see now? UAL and USAIR getting raped in the bankruptcy courts of their pensions, salaries, benefits and overall livelihoods.
We are all next on the chopping black.

What does the AFL-CIO do? NOTHING?
In 1946, President Harry Truman threatened striking railroad engineers and workers with being drafted unless they halted their strike. Goes to show you that
NO president, democrat or republican will allow a major strike, especially in economic times like these and in the transporation sector.

The last time the unions had balls and stuck together was in 1966. Eastern, National, Northwest, Trans World and United IAM represented workers went on strike for I believe over six weeks.This was during the Vietnam war. They got for us most of the gains that until now we recently enjoyed, holidays, sick time, you name it.

[post="204383"][/post]​

No the last time it was the French!

 

[Hopeful]

Yea, good point.
But there was a time in this country when OUR unions had balls.
Strong leadership comes frome the top.
Now, unions are just concerned with membership dues.

 

[Buck]

Yea, good point.
But there was a time in this country when OUR unions had balls.
Strong leadership comes frome the top.
Now, unions are just concerned with membership dues.

[post="204409"][/post]​

So how do we gain the union leaderships attention?

 

[Hopeful]

We have to demand that, with or without their approval, we need to support the Flight attendants with their strike if and when it happens.
If we do what we need and want to do, they risk being held accountable.
Right now they should be up in arms about having USAIR and UAL's contracts abbrogated by a BK judge.

Simply put, we need to take matters into our own hands.

 

[AMFAMAN]

No the last time it was the French!

[post="204398"][/post]​

You're not talking about my favorite strike of all time, the cauliflower workers who shut down the Paris airport by dumping truck loads of cauliflower?

Actually, I believe the last great strike in the US was by those high school kids at a Mc Donalds someplace in Ohio I believe, a few years back, now that was a good one. Even the Teamsters honored that strike.....

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

So how do we gain the union leaderships attention?

[post="204423"][/post]​

The twu will not action to defend AMTs. That is a fact. Hell, jim little told me that the NWA AMTs fight for better wages was NOT our fight. little and the other appointed twu international officers are spineless. The afl-cio, which teamtwu and the twu boast is a reason to belong to the twu will do nothing to help airline labor.

So, how do we gain union leadership's attention? For AMTs we need to all belong in one craft union. That union is AMFA. Then and only then will AMTs be taken seriously as a whole.

If and when the courts break one contract at USAir or UAL, or any airline, we need to stand together or we will certainly fall seperately.

If the twu "leadership" doesn't do what is right then the membership must do it.

 

[Drippy Quill]

If the twu "leadership" doesn't do what is right then the membership must do it.

*ditto..but include AMFA/IBT/IAM...etal.

 

[local 12 proud]

i also think the average frenchy worker has more nads than the average american worker, and that thought really turns my stomach!

 

[Drippy Quill]

Also remember that ETO is behind the USA in the development of unions...they are experiencing what we had in the 40's-60's now...just a thought.

 

[cybercat]

The last time the unions had balls and stuck together was in 1966. Eastern, National, Northwest, Trans World and United IAM represented workers went on strike for I believe over six weeks.

How well I remember this strike. AA did not participate and was swamped with calls. I was a res agent at TWA at the time and since we were non-union, AA asked TWA for agents to come over and help, with the incentive of full pay. (We were getting only half pay for the duration of the strike. ) It was a madhouse. You could go to the bathroom and come back and find somebody
sitting in your seat. There was another strike in the fall of 1973 in which UA did not participate, with the same deal.

Cybercat