Wednesday 10 December

Parents and nursery nurses join forces to confront CoSLA

UNISON today announced a Scotland-wide one-day strike, demonstration and rally in Dundee on Thursday December 11.

This is part of the current raft of selective industrial action, which is affecting 13 councils throughout Scotland this week. The demonstration will bring together parents and nursery nurses to deliver a message to CoSLA, who are meeting in the city that day.

The main speaker at the rally will be Matt Smith, UNISON's Scottish Secretary. Carol Ball, Chair - UNISON's Nursery Nurses Working Party, said "Parents are rightly frustrated at at the games being played and the intransigence shown by employers. CoSLA's refusal to deal with this Scotland-wide issue on a Scottish basis has meant continuing disruption for parents and their children's education."

The march and rally will be led off by a group of parents supporting the nursery nurses' case for decent pay, and will also feature a "Nursery Nurse Choir" from Dundee, who have re-drafted some well-known seasonal tunes!

Anne Byrne, a local Dundee parent who will speak at the rally said: 'It is way past time that Scottish local authorities started talking to UNISON. Kids are losing out whilst councils play for time. We know what a valuable job nursery nurses do and we think they are undervalued. I can see no reason why a nursery nurse in Angus or Perth should be paid differently from one in Dundee. Teachers aren't."

Earlier the same day Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government, will deliver a petition in support of the claim, to Edinburgh City Council. He will also address the council.

Joe Di Paola said "CoSLA should stop wasting their time encouraging councils to try and split nursery nurses with local offers. Nursery nurses are rejecting these. They can see what a mess would be created if nursery nurses are paid differently depending on where they work. Not only is this unfair, it is bad for the education of kids and the service as a whole."

The demonstration will assemble at Greenmarket in Dundee at 12 30pm and march to City Square at 1.00pm The march will rally in City Square and hand a petition signed by parents and the public to CoSLA's representative from Dundee City Council.

ENDS

Note for Picture Editors. The parents supporting the nursery nurses will be at the front of the march.

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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