Tuesday 3 June 2003

No movement in nursery talks

Despite further strikes by nursery nurses, the talks called for by the employers today broke up with no agreement. UNISON, the union representing striking nursery nurses said it was 'bitterly disappointed' that CoSLA was apparently unable to address the central problem of low pay.

Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government said "UNISON made it very clear that it would require a significant move towards t the claim of nursery nurses to enable us to resolve the problem. We are bitterly disappointed that, despite their continual calls for us to resume talks, when we did so, they made us no new offer."

"We will report everything that the employers told us back to our members. But, as it substantially the same offer that they made on April 25, and that the membership rejected then, it is unlikely that this will change their minds. We will continue talking to CoSLA, but it will be difficult to make any progress unless there is going to be recognition that nursery nurses need a fair deal, and they cannot wait for some prospective job evaluation scheme."

Carol Ball, Chair of the UNISON Nursery Nurse Working Party, said. "Everybody from the First Minister down agrees that this dispute has gone on long enough. However our employers are still failing to appreciate the valuable role that nursery nurses carry out and to offer tangible recognition of that."

The next wave of strikes started today with Nursery Nurses in, East, North and South Ayrshire, Orkney and Shetland starting two days of action on Tuesday and Wednesday (3 and 4 June), Inverclyde nursery nurses start two days of strike action tomorrow.

Unless there is a resolution, Other areas of Scotland will be affected in future weeks, backed up by a boycott of additional duties.

ENDS

For Further Information Please Contact: Joe Di Paola (Scottish Organiser - Local Govt) - 0845 355 0845(o) 07990 505 698(m) Carol Ball (Chair-Nursery Nurse Working Party) - 0141-552 7069(o) 07803 952263(m) Angela Lynes (Scottish NEC member) 0141-552 7069(o) 07979 522 606(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0845 355 0845(w) 0771 558 3729(m)

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