On this day, August 5, 1981,
- produced by Jackie Kook
- in
U.S. President Reagan fired 11,345 striking air-traffic controllers. Two days earlier, after months of frustrating and futile negotiations with the federal government, the air-traffic controllers union went on strike to raise wages and improve working conditions. When the strike began, almost 13,000 air-traffic controllers did not show up to work, forcing over 7,000 flights to be canceled. That same day, President Reagan condemned the strike illegal under U.S. law, which banned strikes by government unions. He threatened to fire any air controller who did not return to work within 48 hours.
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