Changes

==Nerve gas and unionization==

==Nerve gas and unionization==

Thompson was the subject of national attention in August 1970, when the [[United States Army]] transported [[nerve gas]] from [[Alabama]] and [[Kentucky]] through Macon en route for disposal in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off the [[North Carolina]] coast. Thompson tried to have the shipment diverted around Macon. Democratic Governor [[Lester G. Maddox]], meanwhile, sided with the Army and vowed that he would be willing to ride with the shipment when it passed through Georgia to demonstrate the safety of the mission. Ultimately, the Army met with Thompson to try to allay his fears, and the gas reached its destination, but there was an unexpected delay in Macon caused by the malfunctioning of an [[air brake]] hose.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909552,00.html; Buddy Moore, Thesis, pp. 29-32</ref>

Thompson was the subject of national attention in August 1970, when the [[United States Army]] transported [[nerve gas]] from [[Alabama]] and [[Kentucky]] through Macon en route for disposal in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off the [[North Carolina]] coast. Thompson tried to have the shipment diverted around Macon. Democratic Governor [[Lester Maddox]], meanwhile, sided with the Army and vowed that he would be willing to ride with the shipment when it passed through Georgia to demonstrate the safety of the mission. Ultimately, the Army met with Thompson to try to allay his fears, and the gas reached its destination, but there was an unexpected delay in Macon caused by the malfunctioning of an [[air brake]] hose.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909552,00.html; Buddy Moore, Thesis, pp. 29-32</ref>

In 1969, during Thompson's first term, municipal [[sanitation]] workers asked the city to organize through the [[American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees]] union. Thompson rejected unionization as a concept and declared that the City of Macon was already paying employees all that tight budgets would permit. Workers went on strike, and Thompson dismissed them and used city prisoners to collect the [[garbage]]. After some five weeks, the strike ended, and Thompson rehired many of the workers on his own terms.<ref>Bill Maynard, "108 Public Works People on Strike", ''Macon News'', March 12, 1969, p. A1; Shannon, "Can a Gospel Singer?", p. 19; Ronnie Ellington, "Union Criticizes Prisoner Use for Garbage Collecton", ''Macon Telegraph'', March 14, 1969, p. A1; Ellington, "Boycott Hinted in Strike Here", ''Macon Telegraph'', March 13, 1969, p. A1</ref>

In 1969, during Thompson's first term, municipal [[sanitation]] workers asked the city to organize through the [[American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees]] union. Thompson rejected unionization as a concept and declared that the City of Macon was already paying employees all that tight budgets would permit. Workers went on strike, and Thompson dismissed them and used city prisoners to collect the [[garbage]]. After some five weeks, the strike ended, and Thompson rehired many of the workers on his own terms.<ref>Bill Maynard, "108 Public Works People on Strike", ''Macon News'', March 12, 1969, p. A1; Shannon, "Can a Gospel Singer?", p. 19; Ronnie Ellington, "Union Criticizes Prisoner Use for Garbage Collecton", ''Macon Telegraph'', March 14, 1969, p. A1; Ellington, "Boycott Hinted in Strike Here", ''Macon Telegraph'', March 13, 1969, p. A1</ref>