Olympics no help to our working people

Sir-- Len McCluskie (Gen Secretary, Unite the Union) was spot on with his assessment over the Olympic Games in his Guardian interview at a time of suffering due to the Government's austerity measures.

We saw the politicians of all the main parties queuing up to condemn his valid comments. What the politicians did not dare tell the public is that the Olympics are NOT supporting the communities and regions of UK in defending our ailing manufacturing sector and working people.

Whereby 91% of merchandise & souvenirs are being produced overseas. The £21 million contract for the event tickets are being printed by a company in Arkansas, USA.

The expensive garments are being made not by UK clothing firms - but outsourced to 3rd world sweat shops where they are being paid a measly 9p per hour or 72p per day. - Construction companies involved in the building of the facilities also used and exploited migrant labour.

What do you think of the Olympics? Post your comments below.

Big business moving this work round globally will be the REAL 'gold medal winners raking in £billions. In the last few weeks we’ve seen the same old inequality in the UK. The bankers returning to business as usual with their obscene bonus culture and being rewarded with £millions for failure.

Meanwhile firms like Vodafone continue their racket with cheating the state out of £billions with their tax avoidance and evasion practices. On the flip side...politicians and business leaders defend ripping off and exploiting young people with Workfare by expecting them to be coerced to work for their benefits.

Enabling fatcat firms like McDonalds, Tesco and Argos to rake in more profits at expense of the unemployed and their permanent workforce. A constant conveyor belt of cheap labour which will undermine real jobs.

Then we have Emma Harrison and A4E allegedly lining their pockets at the taxpayers’ expense to the tune of millions. It’s the same old story with the media and Tories - a party of wealth and privilege - blaming the poorest for being poor, and demanding they get back to work even though there aren’t any REAL jobs.

They are intent on smashing our welfare state, NHS, public services and grinding working class people/pensioners into the ground.

So Len was speaking up for the silent majority at how they are being treated.

Ged Dempsey, print worker, Denman Road, Wath-upon-Dearne.