Anonymous replied on Permalink
Reagan was rather selective in his support of unionism
I think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that Reagan's support of the Solidarity union in Poland and time as head of the Screen Actor's Guild were evidence of a belief in the labor movement in general. Reagan and his cabinet were all too happy to support independent unionism in the Warsaw Pact nations - the administration was full of ideologues devoted to "free market" capitalism and its war on communism abroad and the labor movement at home.
And you've dramatically understated the significance of Reagan's firing of the air traffic controllers in 1981. The Reagan Admin intended to send a very loud and clear message to its clients and the rest of us that there was indeed a new sheriff in town. It not only destroyed PATCO, it marked a very significant turn in the war on the labor movement. It was a historic moment for corporate capitalism.
This wasn't just a "blot" on RR's record, it WAS his record on labor. It appears to me that Walker and others want to tread the same path and have been surprised to find that the wonderful folks of Wisconsin believe in the practice of democracy! I'm hoping we Californians can learn some lessons here. Regards from Petaluma,
Chris
