In reply to Mike Walker’s accusation of over-generosity on the part of The TES (March 29), I would like to suggest that it was the intransigence of the national employers - the education committees of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and Association of County Councils (bodies which Mr Walker represents) - and refusal to negotiate meaningfully the terms and conditions of local education authority adult education lecturers, that resulted in the lecturers’ union NATFHE’s consultative ballot on their proposals.

This rejected: a 37-hour week, abolition of the salary spine, and halving of holiday entitlement by 823 to 49 votes, a 17-to-1 rejection of the employers’ attempt to ape the Colleges’ Employers’ Forum. As if one bunch of monkeys isn’t enough!

JUDY KILBION Assistant branch secretary NATFHE Hull ACE Branch Hull