Nursery nurses have been taking action

Details of the offer by local authority employers Cosla are contained in a leaked letter obtained by BBC Scotland.

The letter is a briefing note by Cosla President Pat Watters to all MPs and MSPs.

In it he says a new grading system will allow "fully qualified, competent" nursery nurses to earn �18,000 a year.

However there is no mention of a starting salary and the deal, which is to be formally tabled on Friday, has already been rejected by unions.

Unison, which represents most nursery nurses, said it was "flawed" and would leave too much room for discretion.

It added that not all early years workers would be earning the top rate.

The offer is totally unacceptable and our members won't stop striking until they get what they deserve Unison

Joe Di Paola, Unison's Scottish local government organiser said: "We are calling for a starting salary of �18,000 for nursery nurses rising to �21,000 with a promoted post.

"The Cosla offer represents a maximum of �18,000 but most nursery nurses will earn well below that - under �15,000 - for many years until fully qualified.

"The offer is totally unacceptable and our members won't stop striking until they get what they deserve. There'll be a continuing programme of industrial action."

The union is planning a rally in Glasgow on Saturday and further two-day strikes are set to take place next week.

The current maximum salary for a fully qualified nursery nurse with eight years experience is �13,800, with a minimum salary of �10,000.

More than 5,000 nursery nurses are campaigning for what they say would be their first pay review for 15 years.

Industrial action on the issue has been taking place since May.