Nicola Sturgeon accused of hypocrisy for posing at a picket

Nicola Sturgeon accused of chronic underfunding of local government Photo: PA

Nicola Sturgeon accused of hypocrisy for posing at a picket in a sign of “solidarity” with striking workers.

The former First Minister is said to have wished staff whose strike led to the closure of a primary school «good luck» in their dispute which union leaders have accused about the government she led just six months ago .

Unison staff ended a three-day strike on Thursday that had seen classrooms closed across Scotland over wages.

They formed a picket outside Edinburgh's Royal Mile Primary School, which is close to the Scottish Parliament, where Mr. Ms Sturgeon remains a Member of Parliament.

She clearly supported striking employees, even as union leaders argued that the administration she led for more than eight years until she officially resigned in March chronically underfunded local governments. government.

Humza Yousaf, Ms Sturgeon's successor, called on Unison to suspend the strike and accept the «very good» pay offer made to staff.

Stephen McCabe, Labor leader of Inverclyde Council , one of the 24 authorities where schools were forced to close in September said: “Hypocrisy knows no bounds.”

“Financial chaos”

“This is the man most responsible for the financial mess councils are in today.”

Neil Findlay, a former Labor MP, described Ms Sturgeon's photo-op as “going beyond satire”.

He added: “She has presided over years of cuts in Scottish councils and argued that every budget was fair to local government and now has the right to picket.»

Unite and the GMB have agreed to suspend industrial action plans while members debate a new pay proposal .

However, Unison has decided to continue with the action, with strikes taking place among school support staff such as janitors and catering workers, rather than teachers.

Cosla, the local authority, said it had proposed a wage deal pay increase of more than £445 million, which will see the lowest paid workers receive an annual pay rise of more than £2,000.

Mr Yousaf called on Unison to pass on the proposal to its members, although the union accused him of not doing enough to find a solution.

'Show of solidarity'

In the final months of Ms Sturgeon's tenure First Minister schools across Scotland were closed in Scotland's first national teachers' strikes since Margaret Thatcher was in power.

They were recalled in March after teachers won a 15 per cent pay rise .

Sharron Macaulay, one of the striking workers, photographed Ms Sturgeon on the picket line. The union posted the message on social media and said it was a show of “solidarity” from the former leader of the Scottish National Party.

“It was great to see Nicola this morning, she was very friendly,” Ms. Mrs. Macaulay. said the student support worker. «I hope she wasn't ambushed because we were screaming at her from across the street.

«But she didn't have to come or take pictures with us, we were happy about it and wished us all good luck.

«But she didn't have to come or take pictures with us, we were happy about it and wished us all good luck.» p>

“I just hope she still has some influence in government to bring Humza to the table and help resolve this dispute.”

Lillian Macer, Unison Scotland secretary, said: “At least when Nicola was First Minister she sat down with Unison to negotiate a settlement. Where is Humza?

Ms Sturgeon's representative has been contacted for comment.