Are Teachers Public Servants

Ruben A. Rodriguez Paul Hansen English 1301-2005 06 April 2011 Should Public Servants have the right to strike? There has been much debate lately about public servant union group’s right to negotiate or collective bargain for pay and benefits for the employee’s. Some state that all workers have the right to negotiate their pay and benefits by what ever means. While other state that some employees’ positions, like teachers, police and fireman, are much too important to allow them to walk out or strike for better pay.

Both positions are true but neither is correct. Ultimately a public servant gives up their right to strike when they accept their position as a servant to the public. In order to completely understand and debate the question of whether or not public servants have the right to strike it is important to define what a public servant is and what it means to strike. Merriam-webster. com defines a public servant as, “A person who holds a government position by election or appointment.

This means a public servant is a person or employee working for a government department or agency or anyone that is ultimately paid with city, state or federal tax money. Anyone working for a public works such as a public school district is considered a public servant. A principle, teacher, and even the janitors at a school are considered public servants. However since most hospitals are not funded by public money most doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians are private sector employees.

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Are Teachers Public Servants

One of the many definitions of strike presented by Merriam-webster. com is, “a work stoppage by a body of workers to enforce compliance with demands made on an employer or a temporary stoppage of activities in protest against an act or condition. ” This means that since most public servant positions like teachers are contract based if a teachers union calls for a strike they are backing out of the contract agreement they entered into and thus quitting their jobs.

Even if an employee is not under contractual obligation to an employer and that employee walks off the job for any reason that employer has two choices, either accept the employee’s demands or hire a new employee that will work for the agreed amount and benefits. When a public servant accepts the position for which they are getting paid, they do it not because they will get wealthy or because of great benefits, they do it because they love to serve the public.

It is often understood that when a person decides to be a teacher of a police officer it is because they love to help others and see others learn and grow. They hold the public’s interest above their own. Thus a true public servant would never hurt the people they are serving by striking. They would be walking out on their contractual and moral obligation to serve the public. Work Cited “public servant. ” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2011. Merriam-Webster Online. 6 April 2011 “strike. ” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2011. Merriam-Webster Online. 6 April 2011