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Exclusive: Why are nursery nurses going on strike?

Policy & Politics
Up to 30,000 nursery workers and teaching assistants are taking industrial action on Wednesday, in what could be the largest walkout since the 1926 General Strike. Dave Prentis from Unison explains why.

Nursery workers and teaching assistants are among the millions of public sector workers, who will be taking industrial action over damaging changes to their pensions.

These workers did not take this decision lightly when they voted 76 per cent in favour of the action.

Public service workers go to work day in, day out, to make their communities better places in which to live and work. They don’t want to inconvenience people who rely on their vital services, but they’ve been left with little choice. Government ministers’ plans to make them work longer and pay more, all for less in their retirement, are not only unnecessary, they are also unworkable and unfair.

Applications to join Unison have jumped a massive 126 per cent since the result of the union’s ballot for strike action was announced. An overwhelming 81% of these applications have come from women – reflecting exactly who nursery workers are turning to for support. 

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