Scotland schools strike: Sturgeon joins workers on picket line in Edinburgh

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined striking school workers on a picket line in Edinburgh.

She posed for pictures with members of the Unison union outside Royal Mile Primary School.

Her successor as first minister, Humza Yousaf, previously urged Unison to suspend strikes to allow its members to vote on an improved pay offer.

Hundreds of schools in Scotland remain closed for a third day in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Tweeting the picture of Ms Sturgeon, Unison said: "Solidarity from former First Minister @NicolaSturgeon to @unisonedin members on their day 3 picket line. But where is @HumzaYousaf? Wind, rain or shine, we stand together for fair pay."

Striking worker Sharron Macaulay said: "It was great to see Nicola this morning, she was very friendly.

"I hope she didn't feel ambushed, as we shouted her over from the other side of the street. But she didn't have to come over or have her photo taken with us, we are delighted she did, and she wished us all the best of luck.

"I just hope she still has some influence in government to get Humza (Yousaf) around the table to help settle this dispute."

Thousands of pupils have been told to stay at home since the walkouts began on Tuesday as support staff take strike action.

Local authority body Cosla has made a new offer, prompting Unite and the GMB to suspend strike plans while members are consulted.

But Unison said the offer was vague, and "too little, too late", and decided to go ahead with the strikes.

The dispute is over a pay offer for non-teaching staff including janitors, canteen workers, classroom assistants, cleaners, admin staff and nursery staff.

The Scottish government has said it freed up £80m in ring-fenced funding to enable a new pay offer, which included a rise of about £2,000 a year for the lowest paid.

Hours before the strikes were due to start, Mr Yousaf described the latest offer as "very good" for workers across all pay bands.

He said: "I would urge Unison, who I understand continue to have concerns, to follow the other trade unions, suspend strike action and do a consultation with their members."

Unison's Scottish secretary Lilian Macer criticised the first minister for "staying silent" until the last moment, claiming the dispute "could have been sorted months ago."

In politics, there is a term known as the "optics" - it is about how something may look rather than how it was necessarily intended.

The trade union Unison can hardly believe Nicola Sturgeon posed for a picture on one of its picket lines.

The picture could be seen as a coup for the union which has the Scottish government in its sights in this dispute.

It argues that councils need more money from Holyrood to ensure the pay offer will not lead to cuts.

It believes Nicola Sturgeon's successor Humza Yousaf could have got involved earlier to try to settle the dispute.

And it also says it is concerned that council budgets have faced pressure for many years - pressure which continued during Ms Sturgeon's premiership.

Unison has also had to contend with claims the strike was politically motivated against the SNP - claims it strongly denies.