Islington Nursery Strike (1984) - Nursery Workers Bite Back!– NEW PODCASTs

On the Record who we collaborated with on the London childcare histories map, have produced a new series of Childcare Voices – this time focusing on the history of the Islington Nursery Strike (1984), told for the first time in a three-part podcast, made by a group of childcare workers, parents, carers and campaigners.

On Monday 16 April 1984, 155 nursery workers employed by Islington Council began an indefinite strike. Their industrial action was sparked by understaffing in the nurseries, which meant there was often an unsafe ratio of children to staff. The strike lasted fifteen weeks, during which time all twelve council-run Children’s Day Centres were closed. The strikers returned to work on 30 July 1984, having won real improvements in the Children’s Day Centres.

Nursery Workers Bite Back was made as part of ‘When the Nursery Workers Said No!’, which was funded by Historic England’s Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.

Listen and subscribe at https://shows.acast.com/childcare-voices or wherever you get your podcasts.