14 MAY 1977, Page 18

One-sided

Sir: Timothy Raison's interesting article (9 April) seems to beg one question – how, if we return to collective bargaining, to make . it real and not so hopelessly one-sided, aS 81 present trouble-makers cannot be sacked -that is, victimisation. Bosses cannot supPort each other by collective sympathetic action, as organised workers can: one can imagine the reaction if the Electricity and Gas Boards were to cut off supplies from strikers' homes, in support of their fellow bosses at British Leyland or Heathrow. The truth is that employers have no effee' tive weapon to use either collectively or individually against the privileges that pro. tea strike action. It would seem that the balance can only be redressed by changes ib the law, even at the risk of confrontation. T. E. W. Waddington

Laggan House, Sunningdale, Berks.