IN SPITE of his lip service to the “positive role” played by trades unions, Cllr Chris Steward (Letters, July 28) couldn’t resist a dig at union members contributing funds to the Labour Party as though there were something unsavoury about this, in the last paragraph of his letter about his administration’s decision to withdraw funding for trades union facilities in the council.

British trade unions are democratic bodies accountable to their members, who choose to affiliate and donate funds to the Labour Party, or not. This is much more transparent and open to challenge than the biggest donors to Mr Steward’s party, prominent among whom are millionaires, hedge funds and outsourcing companies hoping to be rewarded with profitable chunks of our public services.

The Tory government shares Cllr Steward’s distaste for effective trade unions and is intent on restricting still further their capacity to protect their membership with more anti-union legislation.

A government in power with the votes of about 24 per cent of the electorate has apparently decided that union members can only take strike action when this has been endorsed by more than 50 per cent of the membership, as opposed to a simple majority of votes.

The Tories oppose a cap on the size of donations to a political party, which benefits them, but are intent on making it harder for Labour to raise funds from trades unions.

Chris Walker-Lyne, Millfield Road, York

 

PAUL Hepworth suggests allowing cyclists to make a right turn from Clifford Street into Coppergate (Letters, July 24).

Hate to tell you Paul, but they already do.

Surely Paul, in his role as cycling ambassador, knows that road signs and traffic regulations don’t apply to York cyclists.

D McTernan, Fossway, York

 

YORK City 2, Newcastle United 1 (The Press, July 30) ... shades of Hillsborough 1955. It was raining that day as well.
R Hutchinson, Sherwood Grove, Beckfield Lane, York