Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization
Quick Summary
The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) was an American labor union representing air traffic controllers. In 1981, PATCO initiated a strike, citing concerns over stress, staff shortages, and outdated equipment. Despite having endorsed President Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election, PATCO's strike was met with a firm response from Reagan, who ordered the striking controllers back to work and banned them from federal service for life. This ban was eventually lifted in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. The PATCO strike was significant as it led to the hiring of permanent replacement controllers, a tactic not widely used on a large scale in the U.S. before this event.12
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