Parents picket college over withdrawal of childcare
The baby room at the Thistle Street nursery at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies is the latest campus childcare provision to face the axe.
Thistle Street nursery is due to close in September
It is due to close in September, which could mean up to five nursery staff losing their jobs, and will affect 17 parents who plan to start courses next term.
Parents and children picketed outside the GCNS on Tuesday. The campaign group has also set up a Facebook page.
The college is due to merge with Glasgow Metropolitan and Central College Glasgow within 12-18 months, neither of which has a nursery, and a new £300 million campus will be built.
Unison balloted 80 members of the college last week over a possible strike on 20 August. The college has said it will close the rest of the nursery, which cares for more than 70 children, in 2010 because it is losing around £78,000 a year.
Gordon Young, whose three-year-old attends the nursery and who has a five-month-old due to start next month, said, 'We want the college board to launch a proper review.'
The college said, 'The management is working hard to find a solution to this issue. No student with childcare needs will be disadvantaged as funding will always be provided.'
The Scottish Funding Council pays for student nursery fees.
Further information
http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/group.php?gid=103901824359&ref=mf
