THERE have been a lot of comments and speculation in the media lately, by politicians and reporters alike, about the recent strikes and industrial disputes that have been taking part in the past few weeks.

It seems as though these reporters and politicians are either living in some fantasy land or they really don't understand the real anger and frustrations of the everyday working people.

The politicians and media claim that the "confident workers" are flexing their industrial muscles, in an act of militancy, because the economy is strong and there are plenty of jobs and vacancies in the employment market, when actually, it is the complete opposite.

The real reasons as to why people are prepared to take industrial action, is that in 1997, they elected a Labour government with the hope that they would change the policy's of the previous Tory administration.

However, after two massive landslide victories, this Labour government has done very little to reverse the situation and in some cases, have actually inflamed and exacerbated these states of affair by ignoring the very people who elected them to power.

Now we are seeing the backlash to a government which has failed and ignored the very people who voted for it.

And if this course of action fails and the chasm between the poorest and richest in our society grows even wider, then it might not just be strikes that we will be witnessing.

A KING

Park Lane

Swindon