English Composition II (ENC-102)

Argumentative Essay

Public workers go beyond the call of duty more than any other profession, but in many ways are treated worse than workers in the private sector. In the private sector most workers get perks that public workers will never get, such as bonuses and, holidays off. Unionized private sector workers have the legal right to strike at the expiration of their contracts. Striking or the threat of a strike is the most powerful weapon a union can have in negotiations ( Meara, 2010). Public workers in most states by law are not allowed to strike under any circumstances. Public workers can and will be jailed for striking. Is this a fair practice for public servants? There are different types of public servants who take care of the public. You have Police, fire fighters, medical personnel, teachers, and, trash collectors. Of course without these essential workers life for the general public can be difficult to say the least. Having the right to strike is an essential ingredient of a free society( LA Times, 1986). But when public sector workers strike it’s illegal. What makes it ok for a bus company to strike when they can cause thousands of commuters to be stranded, or gas companies who can cause people to freeze in their own homes if they decided to strike in the winter. For people who work in the private sector their knowledge of what goes on in the public sector is unclear. Private sector worker get there information mainly from the newspaper or the news. Without a true understanding of what is happening to public sector employees, they can only assume that public workers get better perks than them. Most private sector employees do not know that public workers can’t strike. When negotiating labor contracts break down in the private sector they will strike without concern to the general public, and with no consequence other than maybe not getting paid for time off for the strike. When they settle their dispute everybody will report back to work as if nothing happened. The thought of a strike by public workers will cause great despair for the general public by creating a sense of fear by not having their trash picked up, children not getting their education, firefighters not protecting your homes or business, doctors not saving lives, or police not protecting your