THE Press report of July 13 regarding the potential reduction in earnings of university porters alarmed me.

While the article suggests that there appears to be no concrete evidence of what the university are actually proposing, it appears that the university are seeking to reduce porters’ wages by around 22 per cent, from a reported £25,700 per annum to about £20,000 per annum.

The Press, in the same report, states “it is understood there is a proposed offer of a pay rise to about £29,000 for some 14 porters to work anti-social hours night shifts”.

This will still leave 36 porters around £5,000 a year worse off and the ones who are successful in gaining night employment only around 13 per cent better off.

I would have thought that the university management (being in the occupation that they are in of education) would have been able to work out clearly the inequality of the reported deal. Are there not any mathematicians on the university management?

If this deal is forced on the porters the university will gain by around £134,000 a year. Disgraceful.

H F Perry, St James Place, Dringhouses, York

 

HAVING read the story “Caravan site plan ‘will benefit’ city” (The Press, July 16), the implication was that there were 68 jobs at the caravan park.

In fact there are only 4.2 jobs actually at the caravan park. The rest of the jobs are based on assumptions about what the caravan users are going to do while they are in York.

I would love to know how these figures were arrived at, especially the 11.3 through indirect spending – what does that mean?

Is Mr Otley trying to blind the planning department with meaningless statistics?

Gill Thompson, Skiddaw, York

 

WHILE some children may lack basic skills, as Heather Causnett suggests (Letters, July 17), the majority of children I meet have skills which any parent would be proud of.

It is surely the responsibility of both parents, not just mothers, to do all that is necessary in the job of child-rearing properly.

While people still believe it is the mother’s responsibility to carry out all of the childcare, women will never be able to access equal pay and be inspiring role models to their children by having the freedom to make choices about their careers.

It is fathers and mothers who now work together to provide and care for their children and families do not need to be patronised by old-fashioned values.

Holly Williams, Beckside, Elvington, York

 

THERE must be something fundamentally unhealthy about local government work if, in any one period, there may typically be ten per cent of employees on sick leave (The Press, July 17).

That sort of absenteeism in the private sector could make the difference between survival and bankruptcy.

But of course local councils cannot go bust because we taxpayers are always on hand to bail them out.

Matthew Laverack, Lord Mayors Walk, York

 

TO stop being lambasted by people regarding her denigration of mothers (Letters, July 17), all Heather Causnett needs to do is substitute one word in her letters of criticism.

Instead of ‘mothers’ she should put ‘parents’, as each has equal responsibility for the upbringing their children.

Yes, there are many children living with one parent, and the majority are with their mothers but there are many living alone with their fathers and the days of father going out to earn the money and mother staying at home to do everything else are long gone.

Parents struggle as it is to look after their families while having to work as there is no choice these days and they don’t deserve the constant criticism levelled at them.

After all, no-one is perfect, no matter how much they think they are, and perhaps some parents might appreciate a little help instead of the chiselling away at their lifestyle and confidence.

Janet S Kitchen-Cooper, Ashley Park Road, York

 

THE news of a forthcoming archaeologists’ investigation into the mound of Clifford’s Tower (The Press, July 18) brings to mind an old engraving which I once saw, of the site.

There were no steep steps up to the top, but a gently graded spiral ramp instead.

What a blessing that would be today, for mobility restricted visitors.

A handrail would be useful, and it would deter a minority of local youths who find it challenging to ride bikes down the slope.

Is this idea on English Heritage’s radar?

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, York