Sir, - In order to allow everyone to partake in the new national pastime of striking, I would like to suggest that the Government organise a National Strike Day.
This way everyone could participate: teachers, CIE workers, taxi drivers, health boards, gardai (who can all be down with blue 'flu), etc. Given that it would be a roaring success, perhaps later on there could be a "Strike Week". The "Strike Week" could culminate in a "Strike Festival" when everyone would get to parade in a sort of Paddy's Day extravaganza. We could use a "benchmarking" process to see who had the best placards, the most inarticulate spokesman, the most threateningly dressed striker.
The winners would then go forward to represent Ireland in the European Strikers' League, where they would be up against the likes of the French lorry-drivers (difficult away leg) or the British miners (tough physical battle).
Keep it up, lads! We will soon be back to the glory days of the late Seventies/early Eighties. . . - Yours, etc.,
Mark Needham Castleknock, Dublin 15.