WE, the undersigned rank-and-file trade-union members, are publicly asking our union leaders why they have been so silent on the issue of adequate funding for public services. Despite the fact that their members' jobs depend on adequate funding for public services, our union leadership have been strangely silent over the past few weeks while the debate has been raging.

New Labour have declared that a tax cut is possible because they say public services are adequately funded and have joined forces with the CBI in promoting this view while criticising the SNP's policy of rejecting the tax cut and investing these resources in education, health, and housing. Who do our union leaders agree with?

Up to now our union leaders have said nothing. Could this be because Tony Blair phoned many of them personally requesting their silence on the issue? We demand to know where our union leaders, whose wages we pay to represent us, stand on the funding of public services and whether they take their orders from their members or from Tony Blair.

Shona Robison, Unison (Glasgow); Kirsten Hey, Unison (Edinburgh Royal Infirmary); Marion Davis, ACTS (Glasgow); William Douglas, MSF (retired members); Susan Forde , EIS (East Lothian); Douglas McBride, BIFU (Edinburgh); Neil McDonagh, CWU (Glasgow); Maureen McDonagh, CWU (Glasgow); Rhona MacDonald, PCS (DSS Clydeside); Rowland Sheret, ACTS (Bridge of Allan); Brian Smith, AWU (Rosyth); Dale Smith, EIS (Angus); Linda Fabiani, ACTS (East Kilbride); Stewart Hosie, MSF (Glasgow); Anne McNair, Unison (Glasgow); Bill Ramsay, EIS (Lanarkshire); Alan Petrie, AWU (Dundee); Andy Dawson, ACTS (Dundee); Alan MacDonald, Unison (Glasgow). March 23.