A different approach on public strikes

In response to Mr. King’s letter : “Don’t let the public workers strike” in the Daily Herald Jan. 12: Although I agree with Mr. King’s opinion, I arrive there in a whole different way. I do feel that teachers should not be able to strike while school is session, as teaching America’s youth is vital to our country’s interest.

The teachers have that right, and it should not simply be taken away without some compromise.

He goes on to invoke the memory of former president Reagan and how Reagan fired the air traffic controllers who chose to strike in 1981. There is no mention of the fact that these controllers were in fact striking to bring to the public’s attention news of the busy skies above them and the insane work practices in force at the time.

There is no mention that this action taken by Reagan in 1981 sent the supply of air traffic controllers into an extreme shortage which exists to this day. There is no mention of another public servant that was sent a message in 1981; military veterans with honorable discharges. This public servant not only could not strike, but could not quit either and risked everything if sent into harm’s way. Reagan signed a bill that stated if an honorably discharged veteran chose not to re-enlist, then they in effect had quit their job and would not be eligible for any unemployment insurance when they returned home.

This edict came from a man who spent not one day in military service for this great country, but he still had the audacity to make that comparison and revoke a right other workers had. I think that we should engage in a process to remove the power of teachers to close our schools when in session, but let us do it the right way.

We should engage, not enrage.

Mike Kelley

Gurnee