Monday 24 November 2003

New nursery nurse action seeks to push Scottish employers back to table

A variety of week-long, and grouped days of nursery strikes are planned for early December on an attempt to persuade Scottish employers to get back to the negotiating table.

UNISON, the union representing nursery nurses, today announced that approval had been given for a period of selective strike action over the two weeks starting 1 and 8 Dec.

Employers across Scotland have been informed of the action planned in their area, and have been urged to put pressure on CoSLA to address the issue at Scottish level.

Joe Di Paola, (UNISON's Scottish Organiser for local government) said "It seems that CoSLA don't care about the problems of parents or the education of nursery children. Their only recent response to this damaging dispute, has been unsuccessfully to try and encourage splits amongst authorities and nursery nurses. This has only added one local deal, with many more nursery nurses rejecting separate deals and reaffirming their commitment to maintaining a Scottish-wide grade. Local authorities themselves are beginning to wake up to the mess that would be created if nursery nurses were getting different pay for the same job all over Scotland. We call on the many authorities that are worried about the disruption, to increase the pressure on CoSLA to reopen Scottish talks."

UNISON branches have been proposing a variety of selective action across Scotland ranging form all-out action of all their nursery nurses for one week, to action in different nurseries in each of the weeks. UNISON nursery nurses are heartened by the continuing level of support from parents.

Carol Ball, Chair of UNISON's Scottish Nursery Nurses Working Party said. " We know that parents are sick of the disruption this action is causing, and nursery nurses know action hurts our children and their parents, it is clear that the huge majority of parents continue to believe our cause is just, and the employers should get back round the table to settle this. Employers still have a chance to settle this before Christmas. Nursery Nurses want to get back to the job of educating and caring for children. And they want to do it across Scotland, being paid the same salary for doing the same job."

ENDS

Note to Editors: The detail of the specific action in the first week. in different parts of Scotland will be available from Monday 24 November, from Chris Bartter (0845 355 0845)

For Further Information Please Contact: Joe Di Paola (Scottish Organiser - Local Govt) 0845 355 0845(w) 07990 505698(m) Carol Ball (Chair Nursery Nurse WP) 0141-552 7069(o) 07803 952263 (m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0845 355 0845(w) 0771 558 3729(m)

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