This letter does not need the 500 words allowed by the editors.

Bullying political tactics are par for the course as we salivate over winning general election 2025.

But our trade unionists, no need to call names, are still huffing and puffing and using out-of-date behaviour. As we say in local parlance, is what year they born? Flared-bottom trousers went out of style with can-can skirts.

The trade union men are saying look out for the lights going off if they cannot get what they want. Now that is bullying. We are experiencing rampant crime and the trade union people want us to also suffer in the dark?

No lights in the home, no lights in the bar, no lights anywhere? Just so? To prove what? That you can bully the government into agreeing to wage increases that cannot be afforded at this present point in time?

The business community and private individuals are just barely getting over the covid19 pandemic lockdown.

T&TEC should be all about proper electricity delivery. Deliberate disruption of an essential service should not be used as a bullying ploy.

Trade unions are useful for negotiating salaries and necessities for workers, but not at the expense of mental and financial pain for the citizenry.

And anyway, plain talking is not bad manners.

The higher the wage negotiations go, the more inflated the prices in the supermarkets go before the unions reach agreements.

Forget about strong-arming the government for 12 per cent salary increases with full back pay.

That old talk is for dreamers who are still wearing flared-bottom trousers.

LYNETTE JOSEPH

Diego Martin