WHY is it the coal and car industries appear to be the sacred cows of politicians?

There is much wringing of hands when these industries are threatened with closure.

British flagged merchant shipping has been reduced to fewer than 250 ships, and we a maritime nation, with thousands of merchant seamen being fired out along with thousands more shore jobs in ports throughout the country being lost and not a word from politicians.

Only recently a shipping company sacked British seamen and replaced them with cheap, very cheap, foreign labour.

Imagine that taking place in the mines or car industry. What a bad wagon for the politicos to climb on.

But then again, once a ship sails it's out of mind, eh?

Forthcoming legislation regarding unfair dismissal raises an interesting point.

If British seamen are fired and replaced with cheap labour, does that constitute unfair dismissal, and do the seafarers qualify for the £50,000? Step forward you local MPs and give supportive answers.

T Walters

Tottington Road, Harwood

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.