On Thursday, the strike in private kindergartens will be extended by 1,000 new employees. At Harmonien nursery school in Skien, they make it possible for parents to establish a childcare arrangement. This applies to the departments that have to close due to staff shortages during the strike. This causes the Trade Union to react. – There is no solution. We consider it strike-breaking, as parents actually take over the work of those on strike, says union representative, Gitte Storhaug, in the Trade Union in Skien. – Never heard of anything like it. They react strongly to the fact that the nursery school, as an employer, organizes such a solution. – If they implement it, there will be a strong reaction. We will inform about this on the outside of the workplace, says Storhaug. REACTS: The fact that the nursery school as an employer organizes such a solution where parents are taken in for those who are out on strike is considered strike breaking, says shop steward in the Trade Union in Skien, Gitte Storhaug. Photo: PRIVAT Head of the Law and Contracts Department in the Trade Union, Pål Skarsbak, says the solution the kindergarten has chosen here is unknown to him. – I have never heard of such a practice before. We have heard of parent kindergarten in own premises, but this is in the premises of the nursery and with staff present. Then we begin to approach something very similar to strike-breaking. He adds that he does not know the details, and says that strike-breaking is not a clearly defined term. – But you prevent the strike from being effective by involving parents. – Not an educational offer Director of the kindergarten, Gunhild Ekornrød Sæterstøl, does not see the solution as strike-breaking. The solution is for all children to have an offer in the nursery. Two departments are affected with 10 nursery staff who have been taken out on strike. WILL PROTECT THE FAMILIES: We do not see this as strike-breaking. The point is not to hit as many children and families as possible, and we try to do the best we can to look after the families, says director of Harmonien nursery school, Gunhild Ekornrød Sæterstøl. Photo: VIGDIS HELLA / news – We do not create an educational offer in those departments. But we make the departments available to the parents, so they can organize a childcare arrangement, says Sæterstøl. – It’s not a nursery service, so I don’t see it as strike-breaking, no, she adds. – Do you understand that the Trade Union is reacting to that? – I haven’t really thought about that. It is something that has been presented to us by the owner, as a way of organizing in the event of a strike. Either as almost ordinary operations, childcare or lending the nursery to parents. At least one member of staff will be present with the parents in each department. Will spare children and parents Sæterstøl hopes the scheme will be in place already from Thursday. – It would have been nice if we had enough parents in the nursery, and see it almost as a charity so that not all parents need to be at home. The managing director at Læringsverkstedet, Trude Sydtangen, writes in an SMS that they have not given instructions on this, but that they have said that the nursery can offer the parents to borrow the nursery’s premises. – A strike always affects a third party, but we want to reduce the negative consequences for children and parents as far as possible, writes Sydtangen further. She emphasizes that this is not a nursery service, but a childcare service provided by the parents. Positives about the solution The head of the collaboration committee in the kindergarten, Espen Fosstvedt, thinks it is positive that the kindergarten is trying to find a solution. – If it can be implemented and parents stand up, we are positive about it in order to limit the holiday withdrawal that people have to take. POSITIVE: Chair of the Collaboration Committee at Harmonien kindergarten, Espen Fosstvedt, believes it is positive that the kindergarten is trying to find a solution. The proposal was sent out to parents on Tuesday. The SU leader does not yet know what the parents think about the solution. – The kindergarten controls how they want to stay open. If they can be done, it is something we are interested in. But it is too early to say whether there will be a solution. Many parents are frustrated by the strike, says Fosstvedt. – It wasn’t long ago that there was a strike in the schools. Although we support the right to strike for staff in the kindergartens, there is a great deal of frustration with how the cabal will work out, he says. Understands frustration The trade union understands that the strike creates frustration among parents. – Of course, we apologize for that to those who are affected by a strike. But there is a consequence, a strike is legal in a conflict, says Gitte Storhaug. – Are you going to encourage parents not to use the offer? – I am not sure about that. We must consult about how we behave during the strike. If that is the outcome, it will not be an easy situation.
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The trade union reacts strongly to childcare arrangements during the strike – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
