CBS Evening News - 1981-06-19
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Read a transcript preview of “CBS Evening News - 1981-06-19” from malgent, uploaded on 2024-05-03.
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Language: English (original, YouTube automatic captions)
[0:05] This is the CBS Evening News with Dan
[0:08] Rather.
[0:09] Good evening. Transportation Secretary
[0:11] Lewis and the head of the air
[0:12] controllers union were meeting late
[0:14] today in what may be a final effort to
[0:16] avert a nationwide strike Monday. Going
[0:19] into that meeting, positions seemed far
[0:21] apart. The Reagan administration says it
[0:23] will not negotiate during a strike. Key
[0:25] senators say they will not act on any
[0:27] contract if there's a walkout. And the
[0:29] controllers union says that while it's
[0:31] willing to trim its demands, it needs a
[0:33] $770 million a year package against a
[0:36] government offer of $40 million.
[0:38] Lem Tucker has more.
[0:40] 62 Tango, just stand by. Stop your roll
[0:43] area. You're on the wrong runway, 62
[0:44] Tango.
[0:45] 90% of the nation's 17,000 air traffic
[0:48] controllers belong to the Professional
[0:50] Air Traffic Controllers Organization,
[0:52] PATCO. What PATCO wants is an immediate
[0:55] $10,000 raise for each controller. The
[0:58] average wage now is around $32,000 a
[1:01] year. They also want a reduced work week
[1:03] and more beneficial retirement options.
[1:06] The Federal Aviation Administration says
[1:08] it is prohibited by law from raising the
[1:10] controllers base pay, but has offered
[1:13] them more money for night work,
[1:14] additional pay when they act as
[1:16] instructors, and a slightly shorter work
[1:18] day. The administration says that's its
[1:21] final offer, and since strikes by
[1:23] federal employees are illegal, has
[1:25] threatened any striker with fines, loss
[1:27] of their jobs, and even jail sentences.
[1:30] Today, after meeting with President
[1:31] Reagan, Transportation Secretary Drew
[1:34] Lewis again made