Throughline How U.S. Unions Took Flight (Throwback)
Sep 5, 2024
Explore the vibrant history of airline workers' unions and their fight for civil rights. Discover how the TWA strike of 1986 shaped collective action and the inspirational journey of a flight attendant in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Witness the resurgence of labor activism in 2023, linking past struggles to present-day challenges. Uncover the pivotal protests for equality and the transformative role of women's leadership in unions. This fascinating narrative intertwines labor rights with broader social justice issues in America.
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Reagan Fires Air Traffic Controllers
- On August 3, 1981, Ronald Reagan fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers and replaced them with non-union workers.
- That decision signaled a national crackdown on strikes and weakened union power across industries.
TWA Strike Against Carl Icahn
- Carl Icahn took over TWA and demanded rollbacks from flight attendants, claiming the company needed cuts to survive.
- Vicky Frankovich led a theatrical strike in 1986, but replacements and low wages forced the union to accept a weaker contract after three months.
Unions As Civil Rights Tools
- Labor history includes many fights for civil rights where marginalized workers used collective action to demand dignity and recognition.
- Strikes like the 1866 Jackson laundresses and Memphis sanitation workers show unions can be tools to expand social rights, not just wages.