US Public Service Workers Feel Less Support
2021-05-17
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1Working as a teacher was Bill Mathis' top goal.
2It was his dream job.
3But he quit his job at a school near Detroit in the state of Michigan last August.
4His school district was returning to in-person classes.
5But Mathis said he did not feel like it was safe enough.
6He was especially worried about his wife, who has the disease lupus.
7"What about us and our families?" he asked school officials.
8The 29-year-old teacher felt few in the community understood his concerns.
9"Good riddance," one person told him.
10His story is just one showing the struggles of American government workers known as public servants.
11Jobs like teaching, firefighting, policing, government and social work have offered people the chance to give back to their communities.
12These jobs often earn good pay and benefits.
13Opinion studies show public support for medical caregivers and teachers.
14After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, firefighters had strong support.
15But many public servants no longer feel like they have the support of their communities.
16Many are overworked and feel very tired in systems that do not have enough workers.
17There is a shortage of teachers in Michigan and many other states.
18In cities like New York, Cincinnati and Seattle, there are not enough police.
19Many of these workers suffer from mental health problems, addiction and even suicide, especially among first responders.
20Before the coronavirus health crisis, researchers found in 2018 that about half of American public servants said they were extremely tired, or burned out.
21That is compared with 20 percent of workers in all fields.
22Adding to the problem, few young people work in public service careers.
23The Partnership for Public Service is a nonprofit organization that supports effective government.
24Their research shows that just six percent of people in public service jobs are younger than age 30 and about 45 percent are older than 50.
25The pandemic has only intensified that situation.
26Elizabeth Linos is a behavioral scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies public workers.
27"The workload is up.
28Financial security is down," she said.
29Linos' research includes 911 emergency operators, doctors and others.
30She said studies during the pandemic have found that anxiety rates for frontline workers are 20 times higher than usual.
31"I've really never seen anything like it," she said.
32During the 2008 Great Recession, feelings against labor unions became common.
33Once, Detroit had been an area of strong support for labor unions.
34But some people in Detroit blamed labor organizations for troubles in the auto industry.
35That feeling has grown to include unions that represent public servants, including teachers.
36Tim Deegan is from Waterford, Michigan.
37He manages a pizza restaurant.
38"They protect bad behavior, and they punish good behavior," he said of unions.
39He said he has no union protections for a job where he often works 60 hours a week.
40Deegan took part in a social media discussion about Michigan teachers who were retiring early.
41He said that online teaching has been poor and that teachers have "phoned it in," or have not cared, for years.
42Mathis said he was thanked early on in the pandemic by tired parents who were forced to teach their children at home.
43"This time last year, we were heroes," he said.
44"Now, not so much."
45Derek Lies, a father of two, said he supported the teachers at first.
46But when the union argued against returning to in-person learning, "my sympathy went away," he said.
47Sue Ziel is a teacher in Mathis' district and a union leader.
48"Why were we the enemy?" she said.
49"You can't love a teacher and hate a union because it's the same thing."
50Kevin Edmond is the fire chief of Sterling Heights, Michigan.
51He said his department is making more of an effort to address problems of mental health and addiction.
52Edmond said he gives time off to employees who respond to deadly fires and other serious events.
53Edmond has been a firefighter for 35 years.
54He said younger workers are more open to the department's mental health and support programs.
55"When I first started, there wasn't such a thing...It was basically you'll get over it," he said.
56"Unfortunately, because of our profession, we see a lot of bad things."
57The number of workers in the fire department has remained the same since the mid-1990s.
58However, the department now makes more than three times as many calls.
59Bringing young people to public service jobs can be difficult.
60Linos, the UC-Berkeley researcher, said today's young people are finding other ways to "do good" - and make more money doing it.
61She said that both the private and non-profit fields have used their own message of public service to attract workers.
62They "are saying, 'Come change the world,' right?" Linos said.
63"So what government may have lost is the monopoly on public service."
64The day Mathis told his students he was leaving was "one the hardest days of my life," he said.
65He now works in the state's growing marijuana industry.
66He doubts he will return to teaching.
67He said Michigan school districts have had to hire people who are not well trained for the job.
68"It really hurts me to say -- I'm happy that I left teaching," he said.
69I'm Jill Robbins.
1Working as a teacher was Bill Mathis' top goal. It was his dream job. 2But he quit his job at a school near Detroit in the state of Michigan last August. His school district was returning to in-person classes. But Mathis said he did not feel like it was safe enough. He was especially worried about his wife, who has the disease lupus. 3"What about us and our families?" he asked school officials. 4The 29-year-old teacher felt few in the community understood his concerns. "Good riddance," one person told him. 5His story is just one showing the struggles of American government workers known as public servants. 6Jobs like teaching, firefighting, policing, government and social work have offered people the chance to give back to their communities. These jobs often earn good pay and benefits. 7Opinion studies show public support for medical caregivers and teachers. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, firefighters had strong support. 8But many public servants no longer feel like they have the support of their communities. 9Many are overworked and feel very tired in systems that do not have enough workers. There is a shortage of teachers in Michigan and many other states. In cities like New York, Cincinnati and Seattle, there are not enough police. Many of these workers suffer from mental health problems, addiction and even suicide, especially among first responders. 10Before the coronavirus health crisis, researchers found in 2018 that about half of American public servants said they were extremely tired, or burned out. That is compared with 20 percent of workers in all fields. 11Adding to the problem, few young people work in public service careers. The Partnership for Public Service is a nonprofit organization that supports effective government. Their research shows that just six percent of people in public service jobs are younger than age 30 and about 45 percent are older than 50. 12The pandemic has only intensified that situation. 13Elizabeth Linos is a behavioral scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies public workers. "The workload is up. Financial security is down," she said. 14Linos' research includes 911 emergency operators, doctors and others. She said studies during the pandemic have found that anxiety rates for frontline workers are 20 times higher than usual. "I've really never seen anything like it," she said. 15During the 2008 Great Recession, feelings against labor unions became common. Once, Detroit had been an area of strong support for labor unions. But some people in Detroit blamed labor organizations for troubles in the auto industry. That feeling has grown to include unions that represent public servants, including teachers. 16Tim Deegan is from Waterford, Michigan. He manages a pizza restaurant. "They protect bad behavior, and they punish good behavior," he said of unions. He said he has no union protections for a job where he often works 60 hours a week. 17Deegan took part in a social media discussion about Michigan teachers who were retiring early. He said that online teaching has been poor and that teachers have "phoned it in," or have not cared, for years. 18Mathis said he was thanked early on in the pandemic by tired parents who were forced to teach their children at home. "This time last year, we were heroes," he said. "Now, not so much." 19Derek Lies, a father of two, said he supported the teachers at first. But when the union argued against returning to in-person learning, "my sympathy went away," he said. 20Sue Ziel is a teacher in Mathis' district and a union leader. 21"Why were we the enemy?" she said. "You can't love a teacher and hate a union because it's the same thing." 22Kevin Edmond is the fire chief of Sterling Heights, Michigan. He said his department is making more of an effort to address problems of mental health and addiction. Edmond said he gives time off to employees who respond to deadly fires and other serious events. 23Edmond has been a firefighter for 35 years. He said younger workers are more open to the department's mental health and support programs. 24"When I first started, there wasn't such a thing...It was basically you'll get over it," he said. "Unfortunately, because of our profession, we see a lot of bad things." 25The number of workers in the fire department has remained the same since the mid-1990s. However, the department now makes more than three times as many calls. 26Bringing young people to public service jobs can be difficult. Linos, the UC-Berkeley researcher, said today's young people are finding other ways to "do good" - and make more money doing it. 27She said that both the private and non-profit fields have used their own message of public service to attract workers. 28They "are saying, 'Come change the world,' right?" Linos said. "So what government may have lost is the monopoly on public service." 29The day Mathis told his students he was leaving was "one the hardest days of my life," he said. He now works in the state's growing marijuana industry. 30He doubts he will return to teaching. He said Michigan school districts have had to hire people who are not well trained for the job. 31"It really hurts me to say -- I'm happy that I left teaching," he said. 32I'm Jill Robbins. 33Martha Irvine reported this story for the Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 34_____________________________________________________________ 35Words in This Story 36good riddance - n. used to say that you are glad that someone is leaving or that something has gone 37public servant - n. a government official or employee 38first responder - n. a person (such as a police officer or an EMT) who is among those responsible for going immediately to the scene of an accident or emergency to provide assistance 39anxiety - n. fear or nervousness about what might happen 40terrifying - adj. causing great fear 41monopoly - n. complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market 42benefits - n.(pl.) something extra that is given by an employer to workers in addition to their pay 43addiction - n. a strong and harmful need to have something or do something 44manage - v. to have control of something such as a business, team or department