Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Now that immigration staff have called off their strike, perhaps it is time to deal once and for all with this running sore in the body of the nation.
Strikes are an outmoded method of settling industrial disputes. Since 1945, they have wrought untold damage to Britain’s economy, rendering industry after industry unable to compete in the world.
Shipbuilding, clothing, shoes, a whole range of goods and the bulk of our car and motorcycle industries have been lost to industries in Asia and elsewhere.
Even some of our great ports lie empty and unused all because British bosses and workers have failed to co-operate for their own, and the nation’s, good.
No strike in fact no major political change, including devolved government should be permitted by law without at least 50% of the union membership (or the electorate, in the case of political change), not 50% of those who voted.
In addition, a new branch of the justice system should be established on a permanent basis.
Just as we have criminal courts and civil courts, so we should have industrial courts with real power.
Holding a nation to ransom the way strikers have done for so many years can only cause further damage to Britain’s economy and prosperity.
Ironically, the people most liable to suffer if the country’s economy collapses completely are the very strikers themselves.
George McMillan,Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Greenland’s ice sheet melting is worrying
Sir, – Scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Centre have seen an amazing and freakish increase in the amount of ice which has melted in Greenland in the month of July.
The scientists were so shocked by this, they thought their satellites were malfunctioning.
Jay Swally, a glaciologist working at NASA, called it unprecedented.
Over the summer, about half of Greenland’s ice sheet melts naturally at high altitude and next to the coast some of the melt water is retained in the ice sheet and some is lost to the ocean.
This year, however, the degree of melting leaped considerably, according to satellite data.
Scientists have not yet worked out what the impact the melt will have on sea levels, but have said that if the trend continues like this it is quite worrying.
Alan Hinnrichs,2 Gillespie Terrace,Dundee.
What’s in store for Unicorn?
Sir, Our oldest resident seems to be suffering from neglect at present.
This living legendary inhabitant of Dundee seems to be suffering a degree of neglect and is notably absent from mention in the plans for our new Dundee or have I missed something?
There was a period when HM Frigate Unicorn and RRS Discovery sat opposite each other in the dock and at that time I was a voluntary guide on Discovery we offered visits to both and there were people who happily did that.
This was a busier and more successful period in Unicorn’s life, but with the ships separated and the greater effort required to visit, where is the best place to park and visit both? Numbers for Unicorn fell.
It occurred to me that since the baby-boomers (those born soon after the Second World War) are now retiring in large numbers and especially since it seems very probable they will mostly see their century and beyond, a Save our Unicorn project, including finding a place for her nearer our other historic ship and restoring Unicorn to her former glory, must be the perfect solution for those who want to keep their minds active and bodies in good shape.
I hope they cannot envisage a Dundee without this wonderful piece of history. It is unique.
Margaret Johnston,17 Westpark Gardens,Dundee.
Get ready for a wind revolt
Sir, The First Minister, Alex Salmond, has indicated that, no matter what England decides with regard to the reduction of wind turbine subsidies, he will only reduce the Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) by 10%.
Westminster is expected to reduce the ROCs by between 10% and 25%.
This will mean an even bigger ”Scottish gold rush” by developers keen to harvest the higher Scottish subsidies.
These mouthwatering subsidies are at present borne by consumers across the whole of UK, with English consumers subsidising Scotland.
Attracting yet more developers and yet more turbines to Scotland means the English will subsidise Scotland even more.
If Scotland gains Independence then the English will revolt and quite rightly ask why they are subsidising Scottish wind turbines.
Clark Cross,138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
Ear-bashing experience
Sir, -When we attended the Alfie Boe concert in the Caird Hall, we did not expect our ears to be assaulted by the overloud amplification, which ruined the rendering of most of the songs. When we spoke to other people, they said it had happened before to them at Caird Hall.
We hope that the management can make sure the speakers in future concert give a good quality sound.
Margaret Roberts, Arbroath.