Letter: Power of money

Sir: Charles Bean (Letters, 28 October) puts his finger on the major flaw in your manifesto for economic recovery - the need for urgent change in the labour market. His remedy is, however, somewhat nave. Does he really expect employers reared on the economics of a free market to forgo their belief in the power of money when faced with a desperate need to retain vital skilled workers and recruit others? And what of the workers presumably ignored in any bargaining between employers?

No, the need is for a radical reform of our outdated structure of industrial relations. Surely we can learn something from other countries such as Germany or Japan.

Yours sincerely,

ARTHUR T. COLLIS

Birmingham

28 October