Air Traffic Controller Representation: Pro-Or Term Paper

In this regard, Osorio adds that, "The strike put deregulation on hold, giving the airlines a respite from intense competition and more time to plan for the post-deregulation era" (2000, p. 114). The PATCO strike also severely hampered further governmental employee unionizing activities for decades (Osorio, 2000).

Conclusion

The research showed that in 1981, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization engaged in an illegal strike for more money, better working conditions and updated equipment that violated Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Notwithstanding the legitimacy of the union's demands, the manner in which they pursued them was violative of the law of the land and the President of the United States took matters into his own hands as chief executive officer and fired the lot of them in response, replacing them with supervisors, military air traffic controllers and newly hired controllers. The PATCO strike also had a chilling effect on further governmental employee unionizing activities for a number of years, but the strike also provided airlines with a respite from intensive competition and allowed them the opportunity to reorganize for a post-deregulation operating environment. In the final analysis, being a citizen of the Land of the Free does not mean that people can break the law and expect to get away with it as the former members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization can readily testify. Therefore, when people become federal employees in the United States, they enjoy certain collective bargaining rights, but they must also comply with provisions of Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 concerning strikes or face the consequences.

References

Grimes, P.W. (1999). The decline of strike activity and the post-PATCO era. Atlantic Economic…