Nursery workers who strike will have support, some parents argue

It follows a ballot of 6,000 nurses in which a majority voted to step up action to an "all-out strike".

Parents said although a strike could cause disruption, nursery nurses were right to act.

The action could see thousands of families left without day-care and parents having to take time off work.

Irregular strikes and demonstrations have disrupted nursery education across Scotland for months.

Unison is fighting for an increase in the basic pay for nursery nurses across Scotland but claims council umbrella body Cosla refuses to negotiate.

Joe di Paola, Unison's Scottish organiser for local government, said members had voted four to one in favour of indefinite strike action.

It's dragging on too long and I think the majority of parents give their full support to the staff Parent

Carol Ball, chair of Unison's nursery nurses working party, said: "It's disgraceful that employers still refuse to negotiate and would rather disrupt children's education and parents' working lives than pay Scottish nursery nurses for the job they do."

The union has called for a minimum starting salary of �18,000, rising to �21,000 for a promoted post for all nursery nurses, who currently earn between �10,000 and �13,800.

Cosla argues that nurses in different local authority areas have varying pay scales and gradings, which would make a national settlement unworkable.

Local deals

It said it is up to individual councils to set rates of pay, rather than the national organisation.

Nursery nurses in six local authorities: Stirling, Perth and Kinross, South Lanarkshire, Aberdeen, Shetland and the Highlands have all resolved their disputes.

But nursery nurses in the remaining authorities remain liable to strike if industrial action goes ahead.

Parents picking up their children from Park Place Nursery in Dundee said they supported the nursery nurses.

Jill Shimi said parents could face widespread disruption

One parent said: "It will cause me concern and I'll need to arrange baby sitters, but I agree with what they (nursery nurses) are doing."

Another said: "It's dragging on too long and I think the majority of parents give their full support to the staff.

"I blame the government and the local authorities for not paying the people what they deserve."

Dundee City Council leader Jill Shimi warned that parents could be hit hard by indefinite strike action.

She said: "We did manage in the past to make emergency provision for parents who found it impossible without their nursery services.

"However, it's going to be particularly difficult this time as it's an indefinite strike that's proposed."

Cosla convener Frank Russell said: "This is extremely bad news for parents, children and even nursery nurses themselves who have now taken a decision to embark on a sustained period of industrial action with no end in sight."