17 June 2003

Employers 'fail parents' as nursery strikes go on

Around 2,000 Nursery Nurses from Central Scotland, Dundee, Fife and South Lanarkshire, will be the latest to take strike action today (17 June).

Nursery nurses from Falkirk, Stirling, Dundee, Perth & Kinross, Fife, all start two days of strike action today. South Lanarkshire will also strike on Thursday 19th. Stirling Nursery Nurses will be leafleting Stirling Town Centre all day today(17).

"Scottish Employers are clearly treating nursery nurses, and Scotland's children with contempt. ", said Carol Ball, Chair of UNISON's Scottish Nursery Nurse Working Party.

"Millions of taxpayers money has been committed by the Scottish Executive to nursery provision, yet they will not discuss any payment to nursery nurses who are providing the service. They are failing Scotland's children and Scotland's parents by sitting back whilst childrens' education is disrupted."

This is the latest of the current strike days in Scotland. The current wave of strike action will culminate in an all-Scotland demonstration on Tuesday 24 June in Glasgow, further strikes are likely to be planned as there appears to be no movement from employers. The boycott of additional duties is continuing.

"It wasn't so long ago that CoSLA was complaining all over the media that we wouldn't talk to them." Said Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser (Local Government).

"We spoke to them and they refused to make a tangible move towards addressing nursery nurses' concerns. All we were looking for was a payment to bring nursery nurses to a fair level - but councillors' apparently would rather sit back and wait for their summer holidays. Well we have news for them, it will not be a rest for them, as our members are angry and want to target them."

Future action will also be discussed by the union this week at its National Industrial Action Committee. The boycott of additional duties is continuing and further strikes in nursery services are likely.

ENDS

For Further Information Please Contact: Carol Ball (Chair-Nursery Nurse Working Party) - 0141-552 7069(o) 07803 952263(m) Joe Di Paola (Scottish Organiser - Local Govt) - 0845 355 0845(o) 07990 505 698(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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