ONCE again people seem to be hell bent on bashing trades unions as in Jim Tague’s letter (HAS, May 30).

Perhaps the “free” office space he refers to is actually office space given to trades union representatives under a facilities agreement to allow them to carry out their duties to represent the many members they have within Durham County Council?

This is a tough time for all employees in local authorities and trades union members deserve all the help they can get.

By cutting facilities this would be extremely difficult to administer.

Maybe Mr Tague needs to read the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 as this better explains the situation on people’s rights.

He may well wish to remember what the trades unions have done for us: a shorter working week, holiday pay, sick pay, pensions, health and safety improvements, education, paternity and maternity, champions of equality legislation to name but a few.

Yes, we would all be in a lot worse position without the trades union movement, so my advice is to join a union and start fighting back.

Stand up for what others have fought long and hard for: improvements to your rights.

I would also like to applaud the unions and voluntary representatives along with the MPs for the sterling work done with SSI on Teesside and Hitachi, at Newton Aycliffe, and previous work with Nissan.

Hopefully their efforts will have the effect of securing jobs for people well into the future.

Steve Cason, Willington.