Labour’s method of settling wage disputes

Sir, Daniel Finkelstein is right to argue that giving in to unions’ wage demands will mean they press for more pay, more power and more benefits (“ ‘Grown-up’ pay bargaining will prove disastrous”, Aug 21). The UK is only too familiar with a wage-price spiral. Should these wage settlements, and those coming in their wake, prove inflationary, a resultant increase in interest rates will cost the economy and the public far more than the estimated cost of industrial action. It should also be remembered that the biggest problem for our economy is poor productivity. The government has now agreed three major above-inflation pay claims with no sign of any improvement in productivity. This is a huge missed opportunity and bodes ill for ministers’ avowed commitment to economic growth.Peter SmithWoking, Surrey
Sir, Daniel Finkelstein is correct about the folly of giving in to costly strikes. If the government had any sense it would invoke “no strike clauses” in the contracts of key workers in exchange for guaranteeing pay scales set by independent review bodies. The review bodies would take into account recruitment and retention along with a fair wage.Dr Robert RossRet’d GP, Leeds
Sir, Further to Daniel Finkelstein’s article, the rational choice in any dispute is to settle if the cost is less than the best alternative. The difficulty is in calculating the costs, including the unintended long-term consequences, and non-financial costs such as injustice. Finkelstein may disagree with the government’s calculations, but the principle of weighing the costs of settlement against the costs of a dispute is sound.Robert SaundersBalcombe, W Sussex
Sir, Daniel Finkelstein is right that settling pay disputes by “giving in” is an expensive approach because it sets a precedent. Two other fundamental errors are the failure to seek parallel reform (“Rail workers’ pay”, John Ralfe, letter, Aug 21) and to understand that the basis of all strikes is not solely money. In the case of nurses and doctors it has been an unequal quick fix to “paper over the cracks”. The failure of successive governments to improve working conditions and give clinical staff power to influence the provision of care will remain and will undermine any level of pay award.Lee TaylorOrthopaedic surgeon, Chichester
Sir, Instead of criticising the pensions paid to rail workers, John Ralfe should direct his criticism at the pensions offered by many companies in the private sector. When defined benefit pensions were replaced by defined contribution ones, many companies drastically cut the amount they paid in to employees’ pensions.Gary RawlinsonMarlborough, Wilts
Sir, After the Viking victory at Maldon in 991, King Aethelred agreed to pay “Dane-geld”, a financial bribe to persuade the Danes to leave England. They did, but then came back for more. Having hoped to avoid strikes by agreeing to union wage demands, the new government seems already to be finding that, as Rudyard Kipling wrote: “If once you have paid him the Dane-geld/ You will never get rid of the Dane.”Aline TempletonTenterden, Kent
Sir, Hundreds of thousands of young people will receive their GCSE results today. Many will rightly be celebrating their success: they and their teachers have worked hard to achieve them. But up to a third, disproportionately those who have had challenging starts to life and with learning difficulties, will not be celebrating, having failed to meet the required standards in maths and/or English. A high proportion are school refusers who have already decided that schools have nothing to offer them.
What is lacking from our school system is any philosophy of the purpose of school beyond maximisation of exam results that test only a narrow range of human capabilities. Schools are less robust at finding out what all young people can do; at imparting mental resilience and a sense of duty and responsibility; and at encouraging entrepreneurialism and preparing the young for the AI world of the mid-21st century. Above all, we need schools that can give every young person a sense of success and belonging, and optimise their chances of becoming positive and fulfilled members of society.Sir Anthony SeldonHeadmaster, Epsom College
Sir, The proposed new anechoic chamber to be sited at Boscombe Down has nothing to do with soundproofing or making the surrounding countryside quieter; no one would run aircraft engines inside a hangar (“Jet resilience sounded out in ‘silent hangar’ ”, Aug 21). Having been inside one of Europe’s largest at the Joint European Research Centre in Ispra, I know they are incidentally so efficient as acoustic anechoic chambers that one hardly hear one’s own voice, but that is simply a side-effect owing to acoustic wavelengths being similar to those of microwave radio frequencies. One of the major defences against jamming is to make agile receiver antennas “blind” to the directions of the jammers, and testing requires an environment where electromagnetic radiation fields can be simulated accurately by eliminating unwanted internal reflections. This is achieved by means of the thousands of absorbing wedges on the walls.Dr David BebbingtonIpswich
Sir, Your report “Human rights activists rage over Harrow’s China campus” (Aug 19) implies that China is no longer a suitable country in which to operate international schools because of changes to education laws since 2019. The comment you include from a “human rights activist”, that AISL’s decision to open another school is “profoundly galling”, is an overstatement. Like most countries, China has rules on what can be taught within in its borders, and the AISL Harrow Schools have always complied with these. At the same time, all Harrow-branded schools are expected to reflect a Harrow School education, and this is rigorously reviewed using our own Harrow standards and UK-based external evaluation. Harrow has recognised that British education in its broadest sense is a valuable and powerful export. There are Harrow-branded schools in Thailand, China, Japan and India. The benefits are significant, both to the pupils overseas, who are exposed to an international perspective through their education, and to those in London who receive bursaries that our income helps to fund, at Harrow School and John Lyon School. These bursaries allow for the provision of places to talented pupils regardless of their financial circumstances, widening access to the education offered and creating more diverse schools. This is clearly a worthwhile thing to do.Mel MrowiecChairman, Harrow International Schools Ltd
Sir, I read with incredulity your report “Introducing the three Rs: Reading, writing and rocket lollies” (Aug 20). It made me wonder if the members of the science coalition assisting the government in its curriculum and assessment review had ever visited a primary school or spoken to any primary teachers. I have taught children from aged four to 11 for more than 35 years and the type of “hands on” learning being recommended has always been happening in that time. Primary teachers have immersed children in exploring the world, melting lollies, digging in soil, kneading dough and exploring pitch and volume — to name but a few of the rich experiences that have been an intrinsic part of primary science for decades. Any decline in such activities has been down to the imposition of a secondary model of science teaching (by Michael Gove), with an entirely inappropriate emphasis on getting young children to record investigations and outcomes and write conclusions. This takes up a lot of time, leaving less time for the exciting, motivating, concrete experiences that children love.Jo CavillEly, Cambs
Sir, Further to your news report “Private schools seek delay to VAT plans” (Aug 21), if the government added VAT at 5 per cent to private school fees on January 1 next year, rising to 20 per cent over the following three years, it would implement its policy with considerably less ill will and disruption to both private and state schools and children’s education.Christopher GadsdenLondon EC2
Sir, If the National Gallery can afford to spend £80,000 on “influencers” to try to attract young people, it does not deserve any Arts Council funding or help from other supporters (“Gallery hires social media stars to erase ‘stuffy’ image”, Aug 19). At a time when all galleries are short of cash, why chase those who aren’t interested? Most of the young visitors to the Tate Modern go for the “experience”, not to see the art. The National Gallery’s money could be better spent on improving facilities, including the café and shop, and limiting the number of admissions to special exhibitions so that visitors can actually see the paintings.Marcia MacLeodLondon NW6
Sir, I first visited the National Gallery at the age of ten and over the next 45 years it became my second home, hugely enriching my life. I was influenced by art, not influencers.Angus NeillFelder Fine Art, London SW1
Sir, It was heartening to read Harry Hudson’s advocacy of alumni relations in state schools (Thunderer, Aug 21). Having been head of two state-funded schools that were highly successful in engaging alumni, I can testify to the truth of his proposition — and suggest that he perhaps underestimates the extent to which this already happens. However, my more recent roles in the independent sector have shown me how much more expertise and resources are available for alumni relations in independent schools. As chair of the partnerships and public benefit committee of HMC, I can assure Mr Hudson that there is no lack of willingness among private schools to work alongside colleagues from state-funded schools in ensuring that alumni relations can benefit more children in the UK.Melvyn RoffeCEO, Clifton College Education Group
Sir, I have been a WI baking judge for years, and there is nothing to beat the flavour of home-made raspberry jam in a sandwich cake (letters, Aug 17 & 19-21) — in fact, the glorious flavour of the jam has helped me to clinch a winning entry many times. If the jam does “bleed”, this indicates either that the jam has not been boiled enough or far too much has been used. Cheap shop-bought jam is usually of a stiff consistency and over-sweet, which does little to enhance the cake.Minna AndrewsBurntwood, Staffordshire
Sir, Ian Bradley’s church may lack a bathroom (letter, Aug 19) but there is a biblical precedent, of sorts. In 1 Samuel xxiv, 3, Saul goes into a cave to relieve himself. I used to work in a cathedral shop, and leafing through a Bible one day I came across the assertion that Saul went into the cave “to use the bathroom”. It was an American edition, of course.AG WilmoreBelper, Derbyshire
Sir, Years ago a dinner guest asked for “the little boy’s room”. My husband, suppressing a giggle, took him to look at the infant sleeping in his cot.Olivia BellEdinburgh