They were protesting at the council's decision to change their contracts from 52 weeks to term-time only, following a regrading exercise in April 2002, which put those working in schools on the same pay scale as those working in local authority children's centres.
Nursery nurses won the battle to have their jobs re-evaluated again separately. They will now be on grade 5 of the pay scale, a grade below nursery nurses in children's centres, but stay on 52-week contracts.
Nursery nurses voted overwhelmingly to accept the proposal at a meeting last Friday (4 July). The settlement followed five hours of negotiations between Unison, the local authority employer and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) last Wednesday. Chris Connolly, Unison's assistant branch secretary for education in Tower Hamlets, said 'Our major victory is keeping and protecting our terms and conditions. It sets a precedent for other boroughs which are reviewing nursery nurse jobs.'
Unison will now discuss the issue of back pay with the council.
Up to 100 nursery nurses, parents, and children took part in a mass rally outside the town hall on Friday 27 June. More than 1,500 parents signed a petition in support of the nursery nurses.