Peter Rickaby (Letters November 12) says nothing will change if civil servants go on strike as ‘half of them work from home’.

Clearly things will change, though. If civil servants who work from home strike, their work will stop.

Or is Mr Rickaby attempting, with little imagination, and no evidence behind it, to re-hash the old ‘lazy civil servant’ stereotype?

Only a modicum of research is needed to reveal that home working has actually been seen to work effectively in both public and private sectors, highlighted by its use during lockdown.

On the broader point, in my career, taking in three Government departments, I can honestly say that I was privileged to meet predominantly hard working, skilled people, more often than not working there with a real public service ethos, who would be welcomed as assets in any organisation.

They work today, though - having suffered years of pay-freezes and with shocking cuts to budgets - strain to deliver services.

They could do with our support and sympathy, not tired, clichéd innuendo.

Matt Rylatt, Caedmon Close, York