The Scotsman
THE Scottish Executive is coming under increasing pressure from Labour MSPs to intervene in the nursery nurses dispute.
A growing number of Labour backbenchers look set to support a motion from the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) calling for a national settlement to end the strike.
Jack McConnell, the First Minister, has so far refused to get involved, calling on the unions and employers to negotiate local settlements on a council by council basis.
However, Scott Barrie, Cathy Peattie, Susan Deacon, Elaine Smith, Marlyn Glen and Margaret Jamieson, all Labour MSPs, have publicly supported calls for a national review of the role of nursery nurses - which would lead inevitably to national pay grades.
If the Executive doesn’t intervene before Thursday, when the Scottish Parliament will debate the SSP motion, Labour MSPs may well be prepared to embarrass ministers by voting for a national solution.