WITH reference to your article that Bolton Council is not to implement a fair pay and grading system by the agreed deadline (The Bolton News, March 8), should we be that surprised?

At one time, workers knew that the Labour party represented the interests of the low paid, vulnerable, and generally those less fortunate in our society, and voted for Labour in their droves. Not now; no longer can Labour rely on its traditional core support.

At one time, the council was a model employer, an example to other employers in the town as to how you should treat your workers in order to gain their loyalty and deliver good quality services. Sadly, as an employer under a Labour administration, it has shown itself to be just as cynical, shortsighted and mean as the worst of employers.

The Labour council had knowingly paid low-paid women less than their male counterparts since the mid-80s. It has been forced to make compensation payments well below what the women might have received had they taken the council to court. The council is now refusing to honour an agreement made 10 years ago which affects thousands of workers and to implement a fair pay and grading system by April 1.

The council spokesman who stated that the review would be implemented, "as soon as practicable", must surely be one of those (mainly male) recipients of a 19 per cent pay rise when their jobs were "evaluated". Ten years is surely a "practicable" timescale in anyone's book.

Bernadette Gallagher Bury Road Bolton