As a professional in the construction industry, I must defend bricklayers and scaffolders against the remarks made by Ron Wood (Letters, October 24).

By the very nature of their jobs, construction workers have more deaths and injuries each year than firefighters.

People in the building trades have to work outside all year in the severest weather, with little protection.

If they don't work in those conditions, the best they can then earn is basic pay, which is nowhere near that of firefighters, who get full pay regardless.

When a recession occurs or workloads decrease in the building industry, traders are laid off and their incomes drop dramatically.

However, if they are earning about £20,000 a year, this is because of supply and demand. The Government has failed to encourage able-bodied young men to take up building work.

Why? Because pay and conditions cannot match those of publicly employed workers with excellent pensions, holidays and so on.

Armed service personnel, on leaving the forces, apply for work in the fire and police, not the building industry, because their remuneration packages are much better than a soldier's.

-Anthony Cort, Regency Square, Brighton