Actually I've witnessed government workers who worked as hard as any I've seen in the private sector. Yes, they're not in the majority, but it happens. The majority work at a slow but reasonable pace. The problem is that I've also seen government workers doing absolutely nothing. I'm not saying very little, I'm saying absolutely nothing and they're allowed to keep their jobs. When most government workers first start their jobs they are met with co-workers who advise them to work at a slow pace or be ostracized. Some do some don't.