Model Essay

6/26/06 - Model Essay – Bus –Strike – Professor M. As-in-off

The (1) clock’s ticking on the city bus drivers' contract. Their union’s seeking (2) substantial raises. They also want a (3) shorter workweek. . Everyone feels that a compromise will occur before the deadline.

With only (1) one month left to the city bus drivers' contract negotiations have begun. Both sides are optimistic that they can work out a mutually satisfactory agreement for the 73 union and 13 nonunion drivers. Although it won’t be easy, it’s not mission impossible. It depends on how committed both sides are.

The drivers currently gross $10.45-per-hour, in addition to $3.82-per-hour in benefits, despite the system running on a $3,000,000 deficit- annually, the bus company said. Yet they want a (2) 20% across-the-board raise the first year. Plus an additional 12% raise. Mayor Bloomberg said the city can’t afford it. He knows if they get it every other union will too.

Lastly, they also want a reduction to a (3) 35-hour workweek the following year. The transit authority said that’s impossible because there are 24 hours in a day and there are three, eight hour shifts. If they do that it’ll wreak havoc upon the bus schedules. And make commuters nuts.

The current city bus drivers’ contract will expire soon. They’re demanding a big pay hike. They also want to shorten the work day a bit. It’s too soon to know what they’ll get.

Format

I. Intro– paragraph-one-general/vague/tell the readers what you’ll tell them/preview. GRAB READERS’ ATTENTION!!! Try to make it interesting/lively

II. Body- two paragraphs: elaborate each point from the intro in separate paragraphs-tell the readers. HOLD READERS’ ATTENTION. Try to keep it interesting/lively.

III. Conclusion: restate intro via different/vague/general words/tell readers what you said/ review. Leave readers with something memorable/funny/to ponder/on an up note. Be sure to string sentences together via transitions such as the ones below.

Transitions

INTRO: First, then, just before, immediately.

BODY: After some delay, at the same time, just after, meanwhile.

CONCLUSION: Later, finally, as a result, all in all.