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16 September 2003
Nursery Nurses Rally in Edinburgh as Scotland-wide strikes take
effect
UNISON, the union representing the majority of Scotland's local
authority nursery nurses, today announced that there will be a march
and rally in Edinburgh tomorrow (Wednesday 17 September) to
support the nursery nurses striking this week. The Edinburgh march
will start at 12 noon beginning at Market Street marching
through Princes Street and ending with a rally at Ross Bandstand
in the Princes Street Gardens at 1pm.
The march and rally takes place in the middle of a series of two-day
strikes across Scotland after UNISON rejected a "sham offer"
from employers CoSLA last Friday.
Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government
said: "UNISON's nursery nurses are resolute and determined
to continue their industrial action until employers recognise the
value of the work they do. Last week's shambles in no way addressed
the 15 years of low pay for nursery nurses. It wasn't even an offer,
given that it could only be ‘recommended' to councils."
Barbara Foubister, UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch Chair and
a Nursery Nurse said: "Sadly, the failure of the employers
to negotiate and discuss with the unions has led to this sham offer
and further disruption. The staggered action we undertook before
the summer brought some sort of offer from the employer, so it seems
that we must take Scotland-wide action to try and convince them
that we want a proper offer with decent pay and conditions.
"Tomorrow's march and rally in Edinburgh will help build momentum
and show support for our cause. We would ask that all parents understand
that we do not want this disruption, but that it is being forced
on us by the employers, who are still failing to recognise the value
of the work we do in schools, classes and extended day provision
across Scotland".
ENDS
The following council nurseries are striking Tuesday and Wednesday
(16-17 Sept): - Aberdeenshire; Angus; Argyll & Bute; Glasgow
City; Clackmannanshire; Dumfries & Galloway; Dundee; East Ayrshire;
East Dunbartonshire; East Renfrewshire; Falkirk; Highland; Inverclyde;
Moray; North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Orkney; Perth & Kinross;
Renfrewshire; Scottish Borders; South Ayrshire; Stirling; West Dunbartonshire;
Western Isles. And the following on Wednesday and Thursday (17-18
Sept):- Edinburgh; East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian.
For Further Information Please Contact: Joe Di Paola (Scottish
Organiser - Local Gov't) 0845 355 0845(w) 07990 505698(m) Carol
Ball (Chair-Nursery Nurses Working Pty) 0141-552 7069(o) 07803 952
263(m) Mary Senior (Information Devpt Officer) 0845 355 0845(w)
Nursery Nurse
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