Public service union Unison negotiated better pay and status for nursery nurses in Nottinghamshire last year after 18 months of negotiations (Nursery World, 28 June 2001). There are three grades for nursery nurses based on a 32.5-hour week and 52-week year.
A Nottingham City Council spokeswoman said, 'It makes sense for us to be in step with the county, because the city council is like the core of the apple, based in the centre of the county. Classroom assistants travel into the city from the county to work, so it would be illogical to have different pay scales.
'There may be slight differences in detail, such as the speed people reach different grades, but the council has confirmed pay grades will be the same. The council is actively discussing the implementation time.'
Most Nottinghamshire schools have approved the pay deal. Unison local branch co-ordinator Mike Scott said, 'We are very pleased with the way things are going. There are a small number of people who are unhappy with their grade, and where Unison feel they are justified we are helping them appeal.
'We expect every school to have implemented the new package by half-term and pay will be backdated to 1 September. There are 450 schools and around 400 have agreed and the rest are in the process. Only one school said it would not implement the agreement but it was told it is contractually liable to pay it and has backed down.'
There would 'very possibly' be a knock-on effect with the basis of the re-grade being used in other local education authorities, he added. 'Nottingham city council has been put in the position of being forced to agree to a similar deal because no-one would work for them if they didn't.'