In 1981 the professional air traffic controllers organization union thought reagan would support it in its strike because reagan had been a democrat before he had supported the union in previous matters he was president of the union sag he didn’t like the management's policies

 Reagan had supported the union in previous matters.

During the 1980 campaign for the presidency, candidate Ronald Reagan had endorsed the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO), which was the air traffic controllers union.   As a candidate in the campaign, Reagan had voiced his support for the union's desire for better working conditions.  But when the PATCO workers went on strike in 1981, as President of the United States, Reagan had a different opinion.  He called the strike illegal and a threat to national safety.  He fired more than 11,000 workers who refused his order to return to work, and federal judges set $1 million per day fines against the union as long as the strike persisted.  

b. the 200th birthday of the united states