The PATCO Syndrome: Coming at the beginning ofthe Reagan?era conservative ascendancy, the 1981 PATCO strike isoften cited as the defining labor struggle of our time. The airtraffic controllers’ strike and its brutal aftermath foreshadowedan era of union?busting and decline that continues to this day.From 23 percent of U.S. workers in unions before the strike, theshare of the organized workforce declined to just 12 percent today.Though other factors were at work— globalization, automation,outsourcing—the reinvigorated anti?union stance of employers afterthe PATCO strike was crucial to labor’s decline. Yet 30 yearslater, many details about the union and its strike have beenforgotten. PATCO was a fairly young union. In the wake of PresidentKennedy’s 1962 executive order authorizing federal employees tounionize, the air traffic controllers joined other federal workersin a wave of organizing. Controllers were dissatisfied withinadequate wages and equipment, excessive overtime, and stress.They were frustrated with the workplace culture of themilitary?influenced Federal Aviation Administration. But this workenvironment also forged intense solidarity among the workers, whodeveloped tremendous pride in their training and skills in acrucial job. They organized several associations and unions,finally founding the Professional Air Traffic ControllersOrganization in 1968. Unionization came with significantrestrictions, however, including no right to strike or bargain overwages or benefits. On?the?Job Actions In the ensuing years, PATCOstaged a series of successful work?to?rule slow?downs andsick?outs, winning contract improvements and creatively gaining payincreases despite the ban on wage negotiations. It’s fascinating tosee the membership develop confidence and militancy throughgrassroots, rank?and?file organizing across a far?flung network ofairport job sites. By 1976, the union had attained an impressive 85percent membership among the 16,000 controllers, the highest uniondensity in the federal workforce. When the 1981 negotiations began,PATCO was largely controlled by its militant wing, known within theunion as the “choirboys.” The union demanded significant wageincreases and threatened to strike. Once the illegal strike began,Reagan declared a 48 hour return?to?work ultimatum. PATCO wasinitially unfazed, as leaders and members expected the chaos in theflight control system to force a more favorable settlement. But thecontrollers had grossly miscalculated the ability of the FAA tokeep the system running without them, by relying on scabs,supervisors, and borrowed military controllers. Air traffic, whileinitially crippled, was gradually restored over time. Reaganultimately fired more than 11,000 strikers. Some will consider thePATCO strike an example of union courage and militancy; others willsee arrogance and overreach.
Where Was the AFL?CIO? Where was the rest of the labormovement? The AFL?CIO offered rhetorical support but nosubstantive solidarity. The Machinists and Pilots unions, whoseworkers were closest on the job to the controllers, offered nosupport either. The pilots’ position is most troubling,because they could have refused to fly in a less safe air trafficcontrol system. Such a move undoubtedly would have helped PATCOwin, but the pilots viewed the strike as a threat to their jobs anddeclined to help. The isolation of PATCO was complete. Banned fromthe industry, strikers were forced to search for other work. PATCOlost its certification for violating the no?strike rule. Thestruggle turned toward getting the strikers’ jobs back, but Reaganwas intransigent and refused. The number of large?scalestrikes dropped dramatically in PATCO’s wake, as the severerecession of the early 1980s set in and declining union militancyand increasing concessions became the norm. Though employers hadlong taken anti?union stands, the 1980s and 1990s saw a resurgenceof union? busting, with crushed strikes at Phelps?Dodge, Greyhound,Hormel, International Paper, the Decatur battles, and the DetroitNews/Free Press. Does the labor movement still suffer from “PATCOsyndrome”? The air traffic controllers were a gutsy group, andPATCO’s early years show what’s possible when a strong union actsboldly. Yet their disastrous strike has left a lasting negativeimpact.
CASE STUDY QUESTIONS;
1. The PATCO Strike had significant impact on laborrelations and the status of unions. What is your opinion, belief,and perspective of former air traffic controllers who wereterminated from employment with the FAA for participating in thePATCO strike and of the decision to term them?
2. What impact do you believe this had on unions as awhole?
