Nationwide battle ends at Orkney
Liz Fox
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Scottish nursery nurses' long-running industrial action over pay and conditions finally came to an end last week, when nursery nurses in the Orkney Islands reached an agreement with their local council. Orkney was the only local authority in Scotland not to have negotiated a deal since June. Following talks between the council and public services union Unison, nursery nurses will now have an improved pay and conditions package as well as a lump-sum payment.
Orkney was the only local authority in Scotland not to have negotiated a deal since June. Following talks between the council and public services union Unison, nursery nurses will now have an improved pay and conditions package as well as a lump-sum payment.
Malcolm Graves, branch officer for Unison at Orkney Local Services, said, 'I think it's fair to say that although the agreement wasn't all the nursery nurses had hoped for, they do see it as a significant improvement.
Both Unison and Orkney Islands Council are now looking to set up a working group as soon as possible. This will investigate a change in job title from nursery nurse to early years worker.'
The agreement affects 30 posts in Orkney, including nursery nurses at pre-school nurseries and early intervention workers in primary schools.
Orkney Islands Council said, 'Both parties consider that the package will recognise the staff whose work is critical to pre-school education and which helps towards forming the basis of the children's future.'
Nursery nurses across Scotland began a strike over pay and conditions on 1 March, with Unison demanding a national settlement. The union was forced to back down in April and its chief negotiators eventually accepted local agreements with councils.
