Nursery World - Nursery nurses condemn deal

Nursery nurses in Scotland are unhappy with the terms of the settlement of a long-standing pay dispute with Scottish local authorities. Members of Scotland's biggest public services union, Unison, have voted by almost five to one to accept a 14.2 per cent four-year offer. This increases the current two-year 6.1 per cent offer to 6.5 per cent by bringing forward next year's settlement date, extends it for a further two years, and inflation-proofs all four years' awards. It will also bring the minimum wage in Scottish local government to more than 5 per hour by adding a flat-rate payment of 500 for next year. But low-paid nursery nurses wanted to hold out for a greater increase.

Members of Scotland's biggest public services union, Unison, have voted by almost five to one to accept a 14.2 per cent four-year offer. This increases the current two-year 6.1 per cent offer to 6.5 per cent by bringing forward next year's settlement date, extends it for a further two years, and inflation-proofs all four years' awards. It will also bring the minimum wage in Scottish local government to more than 5 per hour by adding a flat-rate payment of 500 for next year. But low-paid nursery nurses wanted to hold out for a greater increase.

Carol Ball, chair of the Unison nursery nurse working group, said, 'Our claim when we started the industrial action was for five per cent or 500, whichever was the greatest.

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