Nursery workers join lobby against closure

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19000-400 Stan THE 15 women sacked from the Glencroft Knitwear firm in Glasgow at the beginning of August are continuing to keep up the pressure on the firm in WWWX Millin MINNAL ORA D MOSIERY & KNOTNOR MORNERS DEFICIAL is needed NATIONAL UNION OF HOSIERY & KNITWEAR WORKERS VCROF On Monday 14th, 60 rainsoaked and bedraggled parents, children, nursery workers and supporters lobbied the Social Services Committee - wet, but determined in their opposition to Tower Hamlets Council's attempts to close two nurseries with 85 places) and replace them with a new 'purpose-built room' which at a pinch will only take 25 children.

Scuttling Other nurseries had organised support for the two threatened nurseries, and also protested about the delay in settling a long overdue pay claim for nursery workers. Two months of work-to-rule in the nurseries have produced very little response and nursery workers in NALGO are planning their next move to step up their demands.

A room in the Town Hall was laid on for the demonstrators to meet Clir. Reg Beer, who was flanked by officers scuttling to give him facts and figures as parents put him on the spot.

The children had been given and large bag of toys and played in the foyer outside.

Why, even though paronte had hothered to send • AUVeILIS A Arrantia him a nine point letter, did he not answer the questions it posed? His reply that it was all the fault of Heseltine and the Tory government did not convince parents why they should walk an extra 1½ miles every morning if Queen Mary is closed, or why Shadwell should be an 'option for closure' when it is on the edge of new dockland housing development schemes.

Beer also let it slip that he hadn't seen the new building for Queen Mary's at Langdon Park - and seemed unperturbed by its smalness and unsuitability.

Protect

On Monday morning, before the lobby, a top-level meeting with staff at Queen Mary produced no assurance on jobs, just another meeting to follow - but Thorne (the newly appointed head of Social Services) did reprimand the management staff responsible for closing the waiting list and for pressurising and harassing individual parents to change their nursery.

The campaign also has to protect other nurseries.

Last July's council meeting implemented a 15% cut in all services.

How do you run a nursery with a 15% cut and food without r the number of place Initiative The campaign is now looking into the idea of a Saturday afternoon meeting of parents, nursery workers and supporters to discuss future activity and to build support in the labour movement. Contact with childminders and health visitors is seen as important, and with the aid of baby-sitting, parents have been able to take the initiative in speaking at Labour Party meetings and petitioning in the street markets, writing letters, and producing the campaign bulletin.

With the council elections procedure now started, Beer was challenged at a Labour Party selection meeting the following Thursday. Social Services may well now advise caution, over nursery closures.

Win But nobody should feel confident about nursery provision in Tower Hamlets. Even if the timescale is lengthened, in the end industrial action by other council workers, in support of actions taken by parents to defend their nurseries, Is the way to win.

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NATIONAL RY & t