HAVING just read about the latest firefighters' dispute it makes me wonder how my colleagues and I live on our abysmal wages.

At present, firefighters struggle to live on their earnings of approximately £20,000 a year, while my colleagues and I earn little over £10,000 a year.

On what I earn, I can't afford the luxury of buying a house and I am forever having to seek new employment, or have to move house because my income will not support my outgoings no matter how thrifty I try to be.

But what really makes me seethe is when you hear of politicians and managing directors who award themselves huge wage rises and bonuses, then when their firm goes bankrupt, they enjoy a big payoff, while the workers who have produced the goods and remained loyal to the bitter end receive very little.

It is time to bring all workers' wages up to a reasonable level.

Once a fairer wage structure is in place, events such as the firefighters' strike could be a thing of the past.

If you disagree with the firefighters' wage claim, remember this if you are on the top floor of a towering inferno, how much is the person worth who is going to save your life?

A King

Park Lane, Swindon