FAA History Lesson -- October 20

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Oct 20, 1972: The Federal Labor Relations Council certified PATCO as the sole bargaining unit for air traffic controllers. (See Feb 7, 1972, and Mar 17, 1973.)“

”Oct 20, 1980: Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan wrote to PATCO president Robert E. Poli, saying: "You can rest assured that if I am elected President, I will take whatever steps are necessary to provide our air traffic controllers with the most modern equipment available and to adjust staff levels and work days so that they are commensurate with achieving a maximum degree of public safety." On Oct 23, the PATCO executive board endorsed Reagan for President. At the same time, the union charged President Carter with ignoring serious safety problems that jeopardized the nation's air traffic control system. (See Aug 15, 1980, and Dec 15, 1980.)“

It’s amazing how many people don’t know that PATCO endorsed the guy that fired them.

Don Brown
October 20, 2007