By George did I work hard today indeed yours truly was glad to be home this evening and put my feet up while resting in my armchair.

I guess that's one more day of my life over and one day closer to retirement.

The year may be 2013 but after reading the news today one could be mistaken to think it was actually 1973 due to the various stories of looming strikes and industrial action.

Despite being given thousands of pounds of free shares it seems Royal Mail workers are gearing up for a ballot on industrial action. The firemen are getting militant with one strike behind them already this year and this coming Thursday the teachers are walking out.

Whole those like my good self are desperate for every penny we can earn it seems there are those for whom greed and self interest are more important.

For the teachers the strike may be a day off work lounging around at home or on the picket line if they can be bothered but what about the consequences of their action for others?

Hard working parents many of whom are scraping by on the breadline will have to take time off work of arrange for someone to look after their children simply because the teachers have decided to make a stand in the name of their own self-interest.

Where is the social responsibility in striking and causing disruption to decent and upstanding parents?

As for the postal workers ballot, well, with all the profits they have made on their shares it's mind boggling they could be even thinking of a walkout.

On the 19th October the firemen are shamefully walking out in a row of pensions. By George they're lucky to have a pension at all indeed there are many of us who will be left with a paltry sum when retirement comes.

I think it's about time those who work in key public services like the firemen, police, hospital workers, teachers and postal workers were banned from striking with legal consequences if they did walk out.

We saw what the strike culture did to the economy in the 70's with mass walkouts affecting the decent, hard working majority in society.

As we have learnt strikes fail to achieve anything and have a detrimental effect on those involved and society in general.

Is it any wonder so much of British manufacturing has gone overseas when the workers here are more likely to be out on the pavement picketing rather than being busy at their workstations?

Once again British society will be subject to the disruption caused by a union balloting its members before declaring 'Everybody Out!'.

People have lives to lead yet a few selfish workers seem intent on carrying on at their convenience....

What do you think?