Union bosses have issued fresh calls for a meeting with Humza Yousaf as former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined them on the picket line.
Ms Sturgeon was collared by striking workers from the Unison union on Edinburgh's Royal Mile this morning and obliged them by posing for photographs.
While staff from the local primary school, who are at the end of three days of industrial action, thanked her for her support, reps said it was time for Mr Yousaf to sit down with them.
Unison striker from Royal Mile primary school in Edinburgh, 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 around the table to help settle this dispute.”
Unison’s Scottish secretary Lilian Macer said: “It was great to see Nicola Sturgeon meet Unison members on a picket line at Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Primary School and they were delighted to meet her.
"At least when Nicola was First Minister, she got around the table with UNISON to negotiate a settlement.
"Where is Humza?"
Ms Sturgeon had her photo taken with Unison strikers on the picket line at Edinburgh's Royal Mile Primary school this morning.
Ms Macaulay, a pupil support worker at the Royal Mile Primary School, posted the photograph on social media. Labour, meanwhile, criticised Ms Sturgeon for joining the striking school workers, saying the picket lines were “not photo opportunities” but “a symbol of failure in government.”
Schools across Scotland have been closed for most of the week after thousands of support staff walked out in protest over pay.
Direct negotiations are between the unions and Cosla but the Scottish Government is ultimately responsible for the money available to local authorities.
Mr Yousaf had urged Unison to suspend the strikes after GMB and Unite suspended their strikes and urged members to accept the deal.
The package would see a minimum wage increase of £2,006 for those on the Scottish Government’s living wage and a minimum increase of £1,929 for workers who are earning above the living wage.
The living wage of £10.85 will rise to £11.89 under the new offer, equivalent to a 9.6% increase.
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