Scottish nursery nurses continue strike for pay review
(28/5/03) Strike action by thousands of Scotland’s nursery nurses entered its second week today.
UNISON members in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders were set to walk out today and tomorrow, in the latest wave of protest strikes over pay and conditions.
The rolling programme of strike action, which started last week, will see a different part of Scotland targeted each week, until employers offer an acceptable review of nursery nurses’ jobs.
The union is looking for a review of the status, career structure and pay of nursery nurses across Scotland.
And it is boycotting additional duties that have been added to nursery nurse responsibilities since the last pay review 15 years ago.
Barbara Foubister, Edinburgh City branch chair and a nursery nurse herself, accused the employer’s body CoSLA of “fobbing off’ low-paid nursery nurses.
“CoSLA has said that the way forward is to enter nursery nurses into the job evaluation process. But at the same time they have asked the unions to put the start date for that process back until 2004.
“We have already been waiting nearly 15 years. We cannot wait any longer."
This week’s action will mean further closure of local nurseries and nursery schools on strike days, and disruption of the overall nursery service.
In Edinburgh there will be a lobby of CoSLA by striking nursery nurses.
"Unless there is a genuine and demonstrable move by CoSLA to end the dispute, by making a realistic offer," said Carol Ball, chair of UNISON's nursery nurse working party, "the action will switch to another part of Scotland next week."
http://www.unison.org.uk/
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