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Pay up

<P> Unison is demanding a pay increase of 4,000 for nursery nurses and a review of grading. <B> Annette Rawstrone </B> looks at what has driven nursery nurses in Scotland to go on strike </P>

Nursery nurses in Scotland have gone on strike after working for 15 years without a proper pay review. Five thousand nursery nurse members of the public services union Unison voted in favour of strike action and an indefinite boycott of duties not recognised in current pay levels. The five-week programme of industrial action started on 20 May. Strikes are taking place at different times in four regions of Scotland and are due to culminate in a Scotland-wide day of action.

Nursery nurses in Scotland at the top of the pay scale are paid 13,800 a year by local authorities, but salaries start at just 10,000 even though most are trained. Unison is demanding a 4,000 a year pay increase - a top rate of 18,000 a year and a starting salary of 14,000, based on a 35-hour week, 52 weeks a year.

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