Nicola Sturgeon hailed Scotland's trade union movement for its work during the pandemic - as the STUC general secretary weighed into the Indyref2 debate.
The First Minister said the organisation had been a "powerful voice" when calling for the UK Government to extend the furlough scheme beyond the original October deadline.
It comes as union boss Roz Foyer said the people of Scotland should be given the "greatest possible choice" over the country's future if there is a second independence referendum.
The SNP leader made the comments in a pre-recorded video broadcast today as part of the STUC's annual conference, which was entirely streamed on Facebook due to lockdown restrictions.
Sturgeon said: "The STUC has been an important ally in protecting our economy. Your views have informed our efforts to protect jobs and livelihoods, through to our business support measures.
"And of course, you've been a powerful voice in calling for the UK Government to extend measures like the furlough scheme or to provide Scotland with additional borrowing powers."
In her own speech, STUC general secretary Foyer said if there is to be another vote it must not be a “simple binary choice” between independence and staying in the union.
Foyer used her speech to criticise Westminster’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the UK Government of having “flip-flopped on public safety, placing both lives and livelihoods in danger”.
She also criticised the Scottish Government for being “unable to stop a public health scandal in our care services”.
She added: “If Brexit has taught us anything, it is that there is much more to this than a simple binary choice, the devil will be in the detail and the general council supports giving the greatest possible choice to the Scottish people, should the time come for another referendum.”
Foyer said workers “can’t afford to wait until after a referendum” for action on jobs and the economy.
“This virus has held up a mirror of truth to the state we’re in and taught us some key lessons,” she added.
