The NHS  employees’ demands for a substantial pay raise with justifications and reluctance on the part of government with even more valid justifications are conflicting (“Pressure mounts on Sunak as hospital agitators turn fiercer,” Feb.7, Gulf Today website).

Since NHS nurses are organised, they can present their demands collectively. They can boycott the critical jobs and force the government to agree to their demands.

The underlying fact is that the governments are facing financial difficulties across the globe. We saw a similar type of agitation in France following the announcement of President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform plan. If the life of government employees with reasonable salaries are difficult, then how would it be for the poor who don’t have any regular job or income? Think about them. They are unorganised. Government is for them too.

We are at a crossroads of energy transition with fast approaching net zero emission target. It is an inevitable fact that millions will lose their jobs and livelihood in this journey. So, it is imperative on the part of every government to look after not only government employees but all types of people and allocate the resources on the basis of priority.

Girish R Edathitta,
Kerala, India