Nursery staff at six Barnsley nurseries have voted to strike in a dispute over pensions, the GMB union says. The union says the vote was unanimous, and industrial action is expected in November.
The nurseries affected are in Thurnscoe, Worsbrough, Athersley, Grimethorpe, Penistone and Wombwell. The council agreed last year to transfer the six sites to another provider following a review of its nursery provision.
According to the GMB, staff were told they would be moved onto the private company's basic statutory pension scheme. The union says this would mean a lower payout in retirement and the loss of death in service entitlement.
Barnsley Council has previously set out its position after the GMB announced it intended to hold a consultative ballot of nursery staff on industrial action, saying it had been working on the future of its nurseries since 2024.
Barnsley Essentials has approached Barnsley Council for its response to the ballot result.
