On August 3, 1981, almost 12,000 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) went on strike. The union, which represented the workers who direct airplanes to ensure flight safety, demanded higher wages and better working conditions. President Reagan ordered PATCO members to return to work, and when they did not, he fired them. In this inquiry, students will investigate the compelling question, “What is the legacy of the PATCO strikes?
Era 9 Innovation 1960-1989
The Heart of Social Studies
Inquiries
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On August 3, 1981, almost 12,000 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) went on strike. The union, which represented the workers who direct airplanes to ensure flight safety, demanded higher wages and better working conditions. President Reagan ordered PATCO members to return to work, and when they did not, he fired them….
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In 1972, five men were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington D.C., while trying to bug the offices and collect information about the upcoming election. The break-in led to a series of investigations that revealed a pattern of similar illegal activity. Then, officials in the Nixon administration were accused of…