SO, Arriva drivers are to go on strike for another nine days leading up to Christmas.

I wonder do they really think they can afford to loose the best part of two weeks wages at this time of year.

What of their families and children — are they to do without this Christmas?

The maths do not work out, to break even over the next year, they will need the best part of a 4 per cent rise to get the lost money back, not really common sense, one wonders who in the union is unable to do this simple maths, they should be accepting what has been offered and start negotiations regarding the next rise in 12 months.

To be honest, if I were Arriva management, I would discontinue all services and lay the drivers off until they agreed to return to work.

It will save both them and their passengers a load of grief and introduce absolute certainty into the situation for both.

M G Langdon

Priory Place

Tonge Moor