SIR – So, Council leader David Green is not surprised that staff sickness rates at Bradford Council are set to rise again to possibly 11 days per annum per person (T&A, December 1)?

He cites stress in worrying about job losses and higher levels of work to replace those that have been made redundant.

I’d have thought that if one was worried about redundancy, one would pull out all the stops to prove that you were up to the job, even if it means taking on more work and keeping sick days to a minimum.

Let them join the real world – we in the private sector have been doing this for years!

Stress is an overplayed word nowadays, and I’m afraid GPs have been too generous with doctors’ notes in the past. There has always been pressure in work – far more in the private sector where pension rates are inferior and paid sick leave is not always given, depending on the industry.

When unlimited sick pay is available, a sizeable minority will take advantage, and this has surely happened at Bradford Council where it was a staggering 14.29 sick days per person on an average in 2005/06.

I know people in the private sector who haven’t used that in a full lifetime career!

David Green’s attitude to the worsening sick leave will be a green light for those anticipating their next stress leave.

E Atkins, Norman Avenue, Bradford