Letter: Serving the public

Sir: The Prime Minister's criticism of public sector workers as resistant to change only reveals his own ignorance of recent history. Since 1979 public sector workers have had 20 years of continual changes, most of which have been inspired not by the needs of the public but by political malice.

Privatisation, compulsory competitive tendering, rate-capping, reorganisation of local government, fund-holding GPs and the internal market in the NHS are only the most obvious ones. Now the public sector faces Private Finance Initiatives, which mean that the private sector will make profits at the expense of public services and are only necessary because of the Treasury's outdated accounting system.

For both the benefit of workers and users, the public sector needs not more change but a prolonged period of stability.

STEVE BEARDSMORE

Secretary, Dudley General Branch, Unison

Dudley, West Midlands