I READ with interest the story on page two in the BEN on Monday, regarding the demo the previous Saturday, against your paper, following the unfortunate redundancy of several members of your staff.

You, Editor Mr Rossiter, got it right when you said that apparently union officials think they are a special case, and immune from the realities of economic life. As a man in my 50s I have seen this over the years, but thankfully less often these days.

In the article in the final paragraph, I was surprised to see that the Chair of Housing Cllr Noel Spencer backed the protest. My surprise is that with the level of service, and lack of housing staff supervision, leading to record levels of complaint against the department, he could find the time to tilt at windmills.

Over a six month period, I have been trying, through Cllr Spencer and the whole apparatus from the Deputy Housing Director down, to get some information, not secret I would have thought, just regarding myself, but despite a large telephone bill, and writer's cramp, up to now very little success.

Maybe I should join Unison.

Mr L Howarth

Yewdale Gardens, Bolton

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