Proactive approach to sick pay by unions

I refer to your editorial (Mar 13) on education spending.

Your writer professes amazement that the issue is “only being dealt with now”. In fact, the issue has been proactively approached by the department, unions and school management over several years. Measures adopted include the establishment of an employee assistance service and an occupational health service. These initiatives, designed to provide support to those suffering ill-health, have contributed to improved health outcomes and resulted in many teachers being able to return to work who would previously have had to leave the service.

The reference to a “dishonest minority” is completely unfounded.