Sir, Your report on the unfortunate Packard affair (May 1st), includes the following quote from the Tanaiste, Mr Spring "In terms of the way people should be dealt with it was appalling. There is such a thing as human decency and where there is news like that to be announced I believe the workers should be informed in a far more respectful manner."
However, on November 14th, 1984, the employees of the State owned Irish Shipping Ltd, learned through the media that they had lost their jobs, their contributory pensions and their life assurance cover with immediate effect. Some employees on Irish ships first learned the harsh facts when their ships were placed under arrest in European and Far, Eastern ports. Many of the workers involved had over 30 years' service with the company where they were deprived of their jobs, their pensions and life assurance entitlements.
Mr Spring and his Labour Party colleagues were partners in Government with Fine Gael at that time. That he did not have such qualms of conscience then as he now appears to have developed was further evidenced, when he and his colleagues in Government, Messrs Quinn and Taylor, opposed a Dail motion to compensate the employees of the State owned shipping company.
Irish Shipping employees can readily empathise with the sad plight of the Packard workers but have good cause for cynicism when they read the compassionate utterances of Labour Party politicians in recent times. Yours etc Terenure, Dublin 6W.