I AM glad Mr Woodward replied to my recent letter. However, whatever he says, the unions did indeed promise to save Swindon Rail Works. And I am sure there are many other people who remember this.

He also mentions negotiations in his letter. Where were the consultations with the workforce regarding taking on more diesel hydraulic and diesel electric work? The workforce was never consulted regarding this. The Works Committee knew better!

Unions do have a place in organised industries; nobody is going to deny that.

However, the Government of the day are put in power by the electorate. It is not the job of the unions to overturn that fact and to destroy the government in power.

Surely we can all see what happens if that is taken as the norm. Due to Arthur Scargill, we no longer have a mining industry! The miners thought they knew better than everybody else.

This wasn’t democracy but rather anarchy.

It cost thousands their livelihood and partially bankrupted the country. Did the unions care? Well, honestly, what do you think?

Mr Woodard is entitled to his opinion, that’s what democracy is all about.

But his remarks about serfdom and human rights have no bearing on the voting system for strike action – that is, a percentage vote calling for a strike.

Surely that is democratic, is it not?

Further, Mr Woodward’s expression regarding my “series” on similar subjects would seem to indicate that, according to Mr Woodward, the Adver shouldn’t print these things. Now where does that stand when we are supposed to be a democratic country?

DAVID COLLINS Blake Crescent Swindon