SIR — I wish to express my sympathy towards the members of the Unison and Unite unions who would struggle on the current pay offer of 2.45% according to Vicky Lang, the Derbyshire branch secretary (Derbyshire Times, July 10).
One only has to look at vacancies in the Jobs Today pages in the Derbyshire Times to see the salaries are on average £23,000. It is amazing how the members of these unions would struggle.
Many people are living on low pay — either just above or
below the poverty line. These people do not receive half the income of these union members. They have to manage on the income they receive. They have to dig deeper to budget their expenditure. They have to find in their budget to pay the members of these unions their pensions through the council tax, besides trying to budget for their own retirement pension.
I expect the increase next April in the council tax will include the extortionate pay award for the members of Unison and Unite. People on lower pay will have to dig deeper to pay for this — yet receive even less services.
May I suggest these union members visit the jobcentre to find alternative employment if they are not satisfied with their pay and do not burden the hard working taxpayers of Chesterfield and Derbyshire.
HARD WORKING TAXPAYER,
Chesterfield.
Full name and address supplied.
The full article contains 239 words and appears in Derbyshire Times newspaper.
