Complex and closely watched, the U.S. airline industry has long been a stronghold of union labor. Airline unions function as democracies that organize strikes, raise concern about important safety issues, and back mergers that would not move forward without their support. They use their power to improve workers' lives and to enhance safety, which can be threatened by corporate over-commitment to ensuring profits.

This book draws from the experience of Miami Herald's former airlines reporter, Ted Reed, who offers an insider's view of the unions' victories, losses, and larger-than-life leaders. From the beginning of his career in the late 1980s, it was evident that covering the airline industry also meant covering the labor unions that represented nearly every group of employees. His 30 years of experience have spanned multiple major strikes and other union events, and the stories he shares are critical to understanding the role of labor organization in the airline industry.