Ronald Reagan and the Firing of the Air Traffic Controllers (Landmark Presidential Decisions)

On August 3, 1981, over 12,000 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Association (PATCO) walked off their jobs, striking for higher pay, shorter hours, and increased benefits.Unexpectedly, President Ronald Reagan decided to fire the strikers, prosecute their leaders, and decertify their union.This swift and unwavering decision was a shocking reversal of the sympathy and support Reagan showed PATCO during his campaign ten months earlier, which had earned him the union’s endorsement.Andrew Busch, an expert on the Reagan presidency, explores this overlooked decision, showing the many ways that it set the tone for Reagan’s two terms in the White House.It was a contested decision both within the administration and in the public sphere, though it ultimately proved popular.Reagan’s action demonstrated his commitment to upholding federal labor law, limiting federal spending, and cutting inflation.He also modeled his management style of delegating to subordinates and supporting hi