OUR contemporary press, and even historical archives, provide scant evidence that senior executives and politicians have ever resorted to strike action over unjust treatment meted out to them pertaining to conditions of employment, poor pension provision or lack of adequate consultation by management during the painful process of necessary change.

Our MPs, I hear you say, withdraw their labour from time to time. “Strike” sounds unfriendly. “Recess” has a cosier ring. Allegedly, during recess, dedicated MPs spend most of their precious time patiently, doggedly, single-mindedly resolving the problems of their loyal constituents.

Our much esteemed postal workers remind me of the colliers I knew as a child – real folk, hard-working folk, patriotic folk, reasonable folk dedicated to serving the public.

My unprejudiced impression is that our postmen and women are on a principled mission in search of justice, fair treatment, respect and wise leadership during the aforementioned “painful period of necessary change”.

George H Hamilton, Berwick-upon-Tweed.