THE council tax payers of Blackburn with Darwen are owed an explanation regarding the national agreement to reduce manual council workers' hours as there seems to have been an attempt to turn public opinion against Blackburn with Darwen Council's employees.

The reality is that we are not asking for more money, nor better conditions. We simply want to hang on to the conditions which have been hard won over many years.

I suggest that the cost of implementing the national agreement had already been taken into account before the pay offer was set.

It would also be interesting to know if chief officers also face increased working weeks, five days fewer annual leave and the prospect of Sunday working, heavily disguised as "flexible, family-friendly policy."

Would they give up their perks to avoid having to increase council taxes?

As the biggest employer in Blackburn and starting with a clean slate, as it were, should they not lead by example?

Can they afford to lose the goodwill of their biggest asset, their workforce?

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN COUNCIL EMPLOYEE (name and address received).

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