Illegal Air Traffic Controllers’ Strike Aided in Purging Arrogance Once Rife in System

Harry Bernstein, in the second part of his March 29 labor column (“Dismantle FAA, Says Transportation Chief”), refers to the air controllers strike as “illegal” (quotation marks his) to suggest it wasn’t really illegal. This is classic Bernstein to make a labor-management issue appear to be something it isn’t.

Pure and simple, the strike was illegal. These were the people who said they would “bring the country to its knees.”

Furthermore, I have been flying for more than 47 years. Since 1956, I have dealt with air traffic controllers, and one thing I can guarantee is that, prior to the strike, in several Eastern air traffic control centers, there was an air of arrogance on the part of the controllers. The outcome of the strike purged the system of that arrogance.

WARREN F. JONES

Glendale