PERHAPS Steve Cason (HAS, May 31) might enlighten the public as to where my letter stated I am against the general work of trade unions. I’m not, but neither is it the taxpayers’ job to fund them.

The Taxpayers Alliance highlighted the issue of office space and (taxpayer funded) public sector workers being used for union duties.

I used the Freedom of Information Act to find out that four such offices are allocated to unions within Durham County Hall and when viewed as a fulltime equivalent, a number of (taxpayer funded) Durham County Council staff are on union duties.

My point is quite simple, the taxpayer should be funding public services and not the activities of unions and their officials.

I could ask where were the unions during Labour’s recent 13 years of office when manufacturing reduced at three times the rate of the Thatcher years.

Prior to Labour’s recession, and during the good years for the rest of Britain, County Durham unbelievably lost more than ten per cent of its manufacturing jobs between 1998 and 2005.

Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland.