On August 3, 1981, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) called a nationwide strike against the Federal Aviation Administration. Around thirteen thousand controllers walked off the job, seeking better pay, shorter hours, and improved working conditions. President Ronald Reagan declared the strike illegal and ordered controllers back to work. When most did not return, he fired thousands of them and decertified the union. The move signaled a tough approach to public-sector strikes and had a chilling effect on organized labor for years. The PATCO strike is still studied as a major moment in modern U.S. labor history.
