The in 1970s want to go on strike.

Thecase of the PATCO strike revolves around air traffic controllers whom belong toan organization called (PATCO) which stands for Professional Air TrafficControllers Organization.

They play a very important role since they controlthe traffic of planes that flow in and out which can be risky since theslightest error can make a plane crash which puts lives at risk. So, there isalready much stress that comes with the position of being a traffic controller.                 In this case we have an ethicalissue since the air traffickers of PATCO in 1970s want to go on strike. However,due the fact that they are employees for the U.

S federal government at thattime in the 1900s it is illegal for unions whom work for the federal governmentto go on strike. During the 70s PATCO still went on ahead to strike up againstthe (FAA) which stands for the Federal Aviation Administration which the PATCOstrikers worked for. The PATCO workers went on strike over many things thatwould be fair to fight for as any other unions would being wages along withworking conditions.                  Once the PATCO negotiatorsagreed on a contract that if it were to be approved by congress would giveworkers great pay raises, increased severance pay, an enhanced voice inoperating, also a voice in safety in making policy. The contract was rejectedand were told by President Reagan that the strikes are to be band since theyare illegal.

Then four hours after the strike were told by President Reaganthat strikers have 48 hours to get back to work or their jobs will beterminated. This resulted in over 11,000 workers not returning to work andgetting fired.                 At the end the striking ofPATCO failed and took a major public defeat from the Reagan administration whoattended the demands of the workers with a cold fist and left them with nothingbut a two-way street option to either work or be fired. This case put organizedlabor to shame and some even took extreme measures to even call out sick fromwork because striking while working for the U.S federal government is illegaland looked down upon if you are a federal government employee.                 Was it ethically acceptable forthe air traffic controllers to strike? I believe it is ethically accepted forthe air traffic controllers to go on strike they did not hurt anyone and haddemands that most unions would have.

The country of America is known as thecountry of freedom and free speech whether it is good or bad everyone deservesa chance to state their opinion to the matter at hand. According to an to anarticle in uscis.gov which lists the right of an American citizen, the mostimportant one of all is "freedom to express yourself" (uscis, 2017). How PresidentReagan approached the PATCO strikers was not only unethical but goes againsteverything the United States has fought to stand for and the freedom whichseparates us from other countries.

                 Was it ethically acceptable forPresident Reagan to fire the striking air traffic controllers? No, it was notethically acceptable for President Reagan to fire the air traffic controllers.Even if he was against the strikers the least he could have done is give them achance to state why their demands should be meet considering it is a stressfuljob, but the worst part is that he didn't give the PATCO strikers a reason whytheir contract was refused or any closure at that. In a website article inwokers.org it says that President Reagan took advantage of the anti-union TaftHartley Act, that had been legislated by President Harry Truman in 1947. Whatthis law does is it empowers presidents of any party to break strikes and it's stillexist today (Neidenberg, 2006).                 A key principle I would relateto this case from chapter 3 is PATCOstrike which involved President Reagan firing the air traffic controllersduring the illegal strike in 1981 (Budd, 2018, p.

98). This resulted in the hiring of over11,000 replacement workers.                  Another key principle thatrelated to chapter 3 is open shopmovement which was created in the early 1900s with the purpose to "createand maintain union-free workplaces" (Budd, 2018, p. 83). The movement wanted to portray anideology of individual freedom, which is what the PATCO stickers wanted eventhough it was illegal to form federal sector unions and go on strike. The PATCOworkers fought till the end and wanted to be seen as having the same rights as thosefrom the open shop movement.

                 The key principle of revolutionary unionism in chapter 3 ispresented in the case which "tries to create working-class solidarity ratherthan solidarity by occupation or industry and ultimately seek to overthrowcapitalism" (Budd, 2018, p. 79). We see that in the case the PATCOworkers were fighting to have a voice in operating and safety making so theycould have a say in the matter rather then having supervisors and managersmaking all those decisions. This was in the contract the Reagan administrationrefused.                 Another key principle relatingto chapter 3 and this case is businessunionism which "emphasizes immediate improvements in basic employmentconditions such as wages, hours, and working conditions" (Budd, 2018, p.

73). These are basicimprovements many unions fight for and so did the air traffic controllers andwas on the contract congress turned down.                 Last key principle I wouldapply to this case from chapter 3 is Memphissanitation strike which not only demanded improved wages and workingconditions, but also civil rights and respect (Budd, 2018, p. 98). Even thought air controllers wereapart of a federal sector which made it legal to have unions they stood againstReagan till the very end which earned the PATCO strike much respect for whatthey did regardless of being in a federal sector.

                 A personal experience of minethat relates to this case is when I first saw the impact a union can have forit's workers. When I lived in Canada there was an issue for teachers at YorkUniversity concerning the female teachers and how they did not make as much asmale teachers. So once the female teachers stopped working to strike outsidepreventing students to finish classes the University saw the major impact allthe female teachers had and gave in to their demands. And a manager can applywhat I have learned from this by being ethical to those demands of theiremployees and not resolve it with a cold fist as President Reagan did. References Budd.

(2018). Labor Relations Striking a Balance 5th edition. New York: McGraw Hill Education. Neidenberg, M.

(2006, augest 14). What can be learned from PATCO strike? Retrieved from workers.org: https://www.workers.org/2006/us/patco-0817/ uscis.

(2017). Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities. Retrieved from uscis.gov: https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/citizenship-rights-and-responsibilities