Unison is still campaigning for a national pay deal

Perth and Kinross joined Aberdeen and South Lanarkshire councils by concluding a local settlement.

In September about 5,000 nursery nurses walked out of pay talks with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla).

Public sector union Unison is still pushing for a national pay deal, but Cosla accused it of giving bad advice.

The councils who have settled separately are isolated cases and selective industrial action will continue Unison spokesman

Nursery nurses say they have not had a pay review for 15 years, despite having to learn additional skills and having extra duties forced upon them.

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

Cosla offered a top salary of �18,000 a year, but Unison said the offer was unacceptable.

Nursery nurses then launched a fresh wave of strikes as part of their pay dispute.

Cosla president Pat Watters said 20 of Scotland's 32 local authorities were now moving closer to pay deals.

He said: "We've always said that a national grading was not on the table because nurses have different pay, scales and grades in different authorities.

'Bad advice'

"At the moment Aberdeenshire Council is very close to a deal with its nursery nurses and 19 other authorities are in active talks with local union branches.

"So Unison is giving bad advice when it tells its members to hold out for a national deal, this is going to be resolved locally."

A Unison spokesman said the programme of selective strikes would continue.

He said: "Nursery nurses do the same job whether they come from Fife, Angus or Edinburgh, why shouldn't there be a national deal?