oh, absolutely they could have violated their own safety rules without Reagan. But a strong union (of the pre-1981 PATCO type) would be a counterbalance against the greed that allows these things to happen. In the case on non-union airports, you bet they would make it their business to see that they were working to the letter of the law if for no other reason than to cost them money they were trying to save.

Reagan was all about unencumbering greed. There are consequences to that.