This Week in NATCA/Labor History
Monday, July 25, 2011

THIS WEEK IN NATCA/ATC HISTORY:

July 29, 1981 — PATCO membership turns down contract: The union announces that more than 95 percent of its members rejected the proposed agreement by a vote of 13,495 to 616. Controllers voted publicly among their peers rather than by secret mail-in ballot.

July 26, 1985 — Equipment modernization: The FAA awards a contract to IBM to replace the 9020 computers at the en route centers with new 3083-BX1 “Host” computers. The 9020s were installed starting in 1967. The upgrade is part of the agency’s Advanced Automation Program, part of which includes the Advanced Automation System and controller “sector suites.”

July 30, 1996 — National Aviation Research Institute: NARI, a nonprofit offshoot of the controllers union, holds kickoff ceremonies. This outgrowth group of NATCA was created to ensure that human factors are considered in air traffic control research and development projects.


THIS WEEK IN LABOR HISTORY:

1877:
Workers stage a general strike -- believed to be the nation’s first -- in St. Louis, in support of striking railroad workers. The successful strike was ended when some 3,000 federal troops and 5,000 deputized special police killed at least eighteen people in skirmishes around the city.

1948: President Truman issues Executive Order 9981, directing equality of opportunity in armed forces.

1964: President Lyndon Johnson signs the Medicare Act, providing federally-funded health insurance for senior citizens.

2005: The Teamsters and Service Employees unions break from the AFL-CIO during the federation's 50th convention to begin the Change to Win coalition, ultimately comprised of seven unions (four by 2011: SEIU, Teamsters, UFCW, and the UFW). They say they want more emphasis on organizing and less on electoral politics.