Louise Nousratpour
Wednesday August 31, 2011
The Morning Star
Royal Mail workers at London's largest sorting office celebrated a partial victory today in their fight to save their workplace nursery.
Communication Workers Union (CWU) negotiators revealed today that a breakthrough in talks late last week had given the Childsplay Nursery a five-month "reprieve" while its long-term future is discussed.
The facility at Mount Pleasant mail centre in north London was due to close in November but a high-profile campaign by working parents and CWU members has forced the company to consider alternatives.
CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward described the agreement as "excellent news for hard-working parents across London and good news for the company too."
But he acknowledged that there is still "a long way to go" to secure the nursery's long-term survival.
Roger Charles, the union's branch secretary at Mount Pleasant, said he was "very hopeful" that a positive solution would come out of the negotiations.
"The details of the proposals are sketchy but the mere fact that management are considering alternatives to outright closure, after refusing for so long, means that common sense is prevailing," he said.
The pioneering creche serves Royal Mail staff from across the capital and offers affordable childcare that suits their long and unsocial hours.
Mr Charles warned that many would find it "impossible" to stay in the job without the facility.
"This latest agreement gives us time to find ways of keeping the facility open and sustainable for as long as possible," he said.
CWU national equality officer Linda Roy added: "We've got a lot of work to do, but now that both the union and the company are on the same side I'm optimistic that we can save the nursery."
The CWU said that formal terms for upcoming talks between the union, Royal Mail and childcare provider Kiddy Care would be agreed next month and then all parties will "work towards a solution."
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