1,343 words, 7 minutes read time.
In the spring of 1984, more than 150 low-paid nursery workers—nearly all of them women—walked out of their council-run workplaces in Islington and took to the picket lines. Their strike lasted 14 weeks. It was a battle for dignity, for the children in their care, and for the recognition that nursery work is skilled labour, deserving of decent conditions and fair pay.
Their demand was simple, powerful, and memorable: “One to four and not one more.” It was a call for a safe and manageable staff-to-child ratio. This slogan became a rallying cry not only for the strike itself but for a broader recognition of what nursery work entails and why it matters.
Now, over 40 years later, their story is being retold in a powerful new podcast series, Childcare Voices, produced by a team of childcare workers, trade unionists, and parents. The series gives the strikers the chance to tell their story in their own words—of how they organised, what they fought for, and what lessons remain for today’s nursery sector.
This article takes a closer look at the Islington nursery workers’ strike, the conditions that led to it, and why nursery workers—then and now—desperately need the power of collective organisation.
The Road to the Strike
In the early 1980s, Islington Council’s Children’s Day Centres were in crisis. These centres provided vital care for some of the borough’s most vulnerable children, but were chronically underfunded, dangerously understaffed, and neglected by the authorities. Nursery workers were expected to supervise too many children, often in unsafe environments, with inadequate resources and little recognition.
Despite these conditions, or perhaps because of them, nursery staff were deeply committed to their work. They weren’t striking to abandon their responsibilities—they were striking to uphold them.
As early years expert and strike participant Julia Manning-Morton put it, “We were fighting for better conditions for the children in our care as well as for ourselves. That’s just as important today as it was then.”
At the time, Islington Council was led by Margaret Hodge, who had come to power on a progressive platform promising to improve services, including children’s care. But the reality, as the workers soon found, didn’t match the rhetoric.
In response to unfulfilled promises and worsening conditions, the nursery workers—organised through the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE)—took a courageous decision. They walked out.
Fourteen Weeks of Solidarity
The strike quickly became a rallying point for others in the borough. Parents staged their own protests, including an overnight occupation of Islington Town Hall with their children. The Islington Gazette dubbed the action the “Sit In Babes Back Strike.”
The nursery workers also built alliances beyond the borough. Delegations of striking miners and their families visited Islington and stood in solidarity with the nursery workers. Arthur Scargill, then president of the National Union of Mineworkers, shared platforms with nursery workers at rallies.
A delegation of miners’ wives who came to meet the mayor of Islington refused to cross the nursery workers’ picket line. Instead, they had tea with the mayor on the steps of the Town Hall. It was a powerful moment of mutual respect between two groups of workers fighting different, but deeply connected, battles.
Support also spread across the council workforce. Eventually, 400 workers from other departments joined the strike in solidarity.
The nursery workers remained determined throughout. They weren’t just striking for better pay—they were fighting for the basic safety and wellbeing of the children they cared for every day.
The Outcome
After 14 weeks on strike, the workers achieved significant gains. The council agreed to a ratio of one nursery worker to every four and a half children—still short of the “one to four” demand, but a major improvement. Other changes were also secured, including commitments to better working conditions and staffing.
But the struggle didn’t end there. Just five years later, in 1989, nursery workers in Islington were forced to strike again—this time to defend the very gains they had previously won. Once again, staffing ratios and conditions were under threat.
These repeated struggles speak to a larger truth: victories won through collective action can be eroded if not defended. That’s why strong union organisation and active engagement remain essential.
Why Aren’t More Nursery Workers in Unions?
Despite the success of the Islington strike and the clear benefits of collective action, nursery workers today remain among the least-unionised parts of the public sector. Why?
First, many nursery workers—especially in private settings—are on precarious contracts. Part-time roles, casual hours, and limited job security make it harder to organise. It’s not uncommon for workers to be unaware that they even can join a union.
Second, there’s a persistent myth that caring work isn’t “real work.” This damaging notion suggests that childcare is a “natural” extension of femininity and therefore doesn’t require the same protections, training, or pay as other professions. This sexist narrative has kept pay low and discouraged organising.
Third, nursery settings are often small and dispersed. Without a concentrated workforce under one roof, it can be difficult to build momentum or share information about workplace rights and union membership.
Finally, there is sometimes a lack of confidence. Nursery staff may feel unsure about raising concerns, worried about reprisals, or simply overworked and exhausted. This is where unions can make all the difference.
Why Nursery Workers Should Be Unionised
Unions provide nursery workers with collective power, protection, and a voice.
When you’re in a union, you’re not alone. You have access to legal advice and support. You have the backing of experienced negotiators. You have the chance to push for better pay, better staffing, and better conditions—not just for yourself, but for your colleagues and the children you care for.
Unions also fight for the future of early years provision itself. As government austerity cuts continue to undermine public nurseries, and as private providers chase profit over quality, it is union members who stand up for what childcare should be: publicly funded, accessible, safe, and nurturing.
When nursery workers are unionised, they are also part of a wider movement. They can link arms with teaching assistants, school staff, cleaners, council workers—and build the kind of solidarity that changes not just workplaces, but whole communities.
The Islington strike proves this. Those workers were supported by other council departments, by parents, by local campaigners, by the miners and their families. That kind of strength doesn’t come from silence or isolation. It comes from organisation and courage.
A Podcast Tells the Story
A new podcast series, Childcare Voices, tells the story of the Islington strike in the words of those who lived it. Produced by On the Record, a community history organisation, the podcast is the result of a training and production project involving nursery workers, parents, nannies, trade unionists and community organisers.
One of the producers, herself a nursery worker, said:
“During my career, I have seen pressures on nursery staff increase to almost unmanageable levels. Last year, in response to a plan to make redundancies, trade union members in my nursery voted to strike. It feels unjust that as levels of need and childhood poverty have risen, capacity in quality public nursery provision such as mine has reduced.”
This personal connection between the past and present is what makes Childcare Voices so powerful. It isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a call to action.
The podcast has already received recognition, winning silver in the grassroots production category at the 2024 Audio Production Awards. It brings to life a vital, often forgotten, chapter in working-class history and highlights how collective action can shape services that matter to us all.
Lessons for Today
The Islington strike should not be seen as a one-off moment. It is a case study in how low-paid, marginalised workers—often ignored or dismissed—can challenge powerful employers and win. It’s also a warning that victories can be short-lived without continued pressure and vigilance.
Listen to the podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/childcare-voices
By Maria Camara
