Frontline Season 7 Episode 5 The Battle for Eastern Airlines

The Battle for Eastern Airlines is the fifth episode of the seventh season of the documentary series, Frontline. The episode is a fascinating look into the bitter labor dispute between the management of Eastern Airlines and its workers' union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The dispute lasted from March 1989 to January 1991 and ultimately saw the once-proud airline go bankrupt.

The episode begins by setting the scene of a turbulent time for the company. Eastern Airlines had been struggling financially for some time, and the appointment of Frank Lorenzo as CEO in 1986 had only exacerbated the situation. Lorenzo had a reputation as an aggressive cost-cutter and union-buster, and tensions between the company and its employees were already high.

In March 1989, Lorenzo announced a series of sweeping changes to Eastern Airlines, including the elimination of thousands of jobs and the imposition of wage cuts and benefit reductions. The workers' union responded by calling a strike, which quickly turned ugly. Violence broke out on the picket lines, and both sides accused the other of using dirty tactics.

The Battle for Eastern Airlines includes interviews with key players on both sides of the dispute, including Lorenzo himself, union leaders, and striking workers. The episode explores the emotional toll that the strike took on everyone involved, from the workers who lost their jobs to the loyal customers who were left stranded by the airline's operational chaos.

The show is at its most compelling when it delves deep into the tactics used by both sides. Eastern Airlines hired a team of consultants and lawyers to help them navigate the strike, and they used every trick in the book to undermine the workers' resolve. Meanwhile, the union tried to engage the public in the fight, using ads and public rallies to garner sympathy for their cause.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the episode is the insight it gives into the mind of Frank Lorenzo. Many of his decisions during the strike were driven by a desire to prove that he could break the union's power once and for all. In the end, however, his plan backfired. The public turned against Eastern Airlines, and Lorenzo was forced to sell the company to a group of investors who promptly dismantled it.

The Battle for Eastern Airlines is a fascinating and informative episode of Frontline that offers a detailed glimpse into one of the most bitter labor disputes in American history. Through interviews with the key players, the show truly brings the events of 1989-1991 to life. Above all, it is a sobering reminder of the power struggle that can occur between corporations and their workers, and the devastating consequences that can arise from that conflict.