I SUPPORT Monday’s announcement by the steel unions to hold a national ballot over industrial action if Corus cannot find a buyer for its mothballed Teesside Cast Products plant at Redcar within a fortnight.

No doubt the national media will describe any strikes as self-destructive, but how else can steelworkers protest effectively?

Recalling the closure of Consett some 20 years ago, I cannot avoid the suspicion that Tata/Corus would rather close Redcar than sell it to a potential competitor.

So much for the benefits of the inadequately regulated free market economy. It may favour multinational corporations, investment bankers, hedge fund managers, speculators, large shareholders and others, but does nothing for most waged and salaried employees, who see their jobs outsourced to low-waged countries.

The national dailies have reported extensively about Kraft’s takeover of Cadbury, but have said little about British steel manufacturing’s potential demise.

While not diminishing the importance of confectionery jobs, I cannot avoid concluding that too many people regard Cadbury’s cream eggs as more important to the economy than steel. No wonder we have a national obesity problem.

It is high time to get priorities right.

Let us hope the minds of all parties involved can be concentrated sufficiently to achieve a successful outcome to this dispute.

Bill Sharples, Wallsend, North Tyneside.