PRIMARY schools across Glasgow stayed shut and council services ground to a halt today as thousands of workers staged a strike over pay.

Bin collections were cancelled and crematoria and cemeteries refused any bookings as staff mounted picket lines at key council offices in a national 24-hour stoppage.

Care services run by social work staff were reduced to emergency cover only after last-minute appeals failed to halt the action.

Staff also stopped work at libraries, museums and sport facilities across the city.

A spokesman for Culture and Sport Glasgow, an indendent charity said they hoped that their facilities would remain open but urged people planning on going to museums libraries or sports facilities to check before they visit.

Schools remained shut in other parts of the West of Scotland, including East and West Dunbartonshire, but other authorities kept their schools open without support staff.

Today negotiators called on Finance Secretary John Swinney to give councils the cash that would allow an improvement on a below-inflation deal rejected by the estimated 100,000 Scottish staff on strike today.

Last night, Mr Swinney made a personal appeal to the president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Pat Watters, and the Scottish secretary of Unison union, Matt Smith, for "dialogue" to take place.

But unions said his plea needed to be backed with cash and hoped the public would support them.

Local authorities said school buses could be affected and told parents that meals would not be provided, even in buildings that were otherwise unaffected by the strike.

And ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne cancelled sailings from Rothesay and Dunoon piers because of action by Argyll and Bute Council workers.

Members of Unison, Unite and the GMB unions are angry that local authorities are prepared to offer them only 2.5% for each of the next three years at a time of rising inflation.

Unison's general secretary Dave Prentis visited picket lines Glasgow this morning as he prepared to address a rally later in George Square.

He said: "Our members are taking this action very reluctantly.

"They care deeply about the vital services they provide and those who depend on them and we apologise for any disruption.

"However, members feel that they have no choice."

Cosla spokesman Michael Cook said: "We have made an offer in good faith which was in line with inflation when we made it and was at the top of what councils could afford."

"We told the trade unions we could still talk but they went ahead with the strike anyway.

"We are extremely disappointed given the effect this strike will have on the services councils deliver to our local communities."

Unite said the pay rise offered was just half the real rate of inflation which hit a 16-year high of 5% this month, amounting to a cut in wages for staff who were already low paid.

Jimmy Farrelly, the union's regional officer for Glasgow and Edinburgh said: "Unite members in local government have been subjected to a range of efficiency measures in the past few years but employers have completely failed to address the issue of low pay.

"This offer would be worth 15 pence an hour to the lower paid workers."

Mr Farrelly said that councils had insisted there was no cash to fund a better deal and insisted: "Both the employers and the Scottish government have a duty to intervene to end this damaging dispute."

Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland's Senior Organiser for Local Government said, "No one can be surprised that workers are taking action to make clear to their employer that they will not tolerate a pay cut."

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "We are endeavouring to ensure that we continue to run as many services as possible."

WHAT'S AFFECTED: Council-by-council

GLASGOW

Most primaries, special educational needs schools and nurseries to be closed. Secondary schools open as normal.

No refuse collections will take place today.

Wheeled Bin Service: Bins should not be placed on the street today and should be presented as normal on Wednesday August 27 when any additional bagged waste will also be collected.

Recycling ( Blue or Brown bins ): Bins should not be placed on the street and should instead be presented on the next scheduled collection day, when any additional bagged waste will also be collected.

Tenement / Maisonette Properties: Refuse will be collected on either Thursday, August 21, or Friday, August 22.

Bulk Uplift Service: There is likely to be some lasting disruption to this service and items should not be placed on the street until Monday, August 25, at the earliest - and only then on the scheduled day of collection.

As a contingency measure no bookings have been taken for bereavement services today.

Some exemptions have been agreed in social work and emergency cover will be available.

Emergency contacts for clients are: Social Work Standby Service (social work) - 0800 811505. Hamish Allan Centre (homelessness) - 0141 287 1800 or freephone 0800 838502. Exemptions have also been agreed for a number of residential care staff.

All museums and libraries and leisure centres are run by Culture and Sport Glasgow and should remain open. But bosses say there may be some disruption and anyone visiting a museum, library or sports facility should contact the facility ahead of their visit.

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE

West Dunbartonshire Council say essential services are being provided.

But schools, including special schools, and nurseries are closed.

Home care, sheltered housing supervisors who provide emergency response to vulnerable people and social work response for child protection, adult protection and mental health emergencies are available.

Residential units for children and young people and residential units for adults and older people are open. Emergency housing repairs are also available.

Up to date information can be obtained from the council's call centre (01389 738282) and service users are advised to visit the council's website on www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk for regular updates.

EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE:

All Council buildings, including schools, libraries, community centres and other public buildings are closed.

The following emergency services are operating: Homecare for clients requiring seven-day support packages Emergency Social Work Services for Child Protection, Mental Health and Hospital Liaison Emergency standby service for the Homelessness Team Emergency standby service for the Environmental Health Team Emergency standby service for the Roads and Waste Management Teams For updated information go to www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

INVERCLYDE

Contingency plans have been put in place to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

All Inverclyde Schools are open as normal.

Catering services and school crossing patrollers are affected.

Nurseries and family centres were due to open.

Essential services such as Meals on Wheels, Child Care Residential Units. Homelessness Service, Learning Disability Housing Support, Care at Home, Community Alarm Service, Personal Care, Hospital Discharge Service, Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults are operating as usual. Emergency cover is available.

It is likely that there will be a knock on effect for refuse collection for the rest of the week. If this is the case, bins will be collected one day later than usual.

No burials or cremations are scheduled but the service will not be available in any case.

All libraries will be closed for the day and the McLean Museum will be closed.

Updated information is available on www.inverclyde.gov.uk

EAST RENFREWSHIRE

Schools are open but there will be no catering and pupils should bring a packed lunch.

Nursery education is affected with people advised to check with their nursery.

Council offices will be open.

Refuse, garden waste and recycling collections are cancelled.

Leisure centres are closed.

Library services are affected.

Club and community lets in council premises are cancelled, lets in Private Public Partnership and Public Finance Initiative schools are not affected Emergency contact numbers are; To speak to a social worker urgently, phone 0141 577 8300 For council house emergency repairs phone: plumber 07880 502 348, joiner 07798 646 706, electrician 07767 380 288 For homelessness, call 07876 478 590 Updated information is available on the council website at www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk or from 0141 577 3001.

RENFREWSHIRE

All primary schools are open. With two exceptions, all secondary schools are open for S4, S5 and S6 pupils only. Parents of pupils at Johnstone High and Castlehead High have already been advised that those schools will reopen on Friday, August 22, and Tuesday, August 26, respectively due to major refurbishment work.

All special schools will be closed. Parents of nursery children will be advised on arrangements by individual nursery heads.

For the latest information, the council is advising people to check its website www.renfrewshire.gov.uk, particularly in relation to which schools are open.

The council headquarters, Renfrewshire House in Cotton Street, Paisley, will be closed to the public as will the adjoining Customer Service Centre.

Most social work services and projects are closed or drastically reduced. A reduced level of home care services is available. A limited service for people who urgently need to contact the Social Work department is available between 8.45am and 4.45pm on 0141 842 5151.

All libraries are closed. Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Coats Observatory, Johnstone Town Hall, Paisley Arts Centre and Paisley Town Hall are closed.

All frontline environmental services, including refuse collection, will be disrupted.

All housing offices are closed. There will be no concierge, caretaking or sheltered warden service available. For genuine housing emergencies between 8.45am and 4.45pm contact 0141 889 5296 or 07900 190816 for council house repairs and 0141 840 3402 regarding homelessness.

To report a dangerous building, people can call 0141 889 5296. Dangerous road defects or flooding can be reported on 0141 889 2314 - both during normal office hours.

Public sports centres and swimming pools in Renfrewshire operated by Renfrewshire Leisure Ltd are likely to be closed. Further details are available on www.renfrewshireleisure.com or call 0141 889 4000.

SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

Education Of the 124 primary schools, 23 are open and of the 17 secondary schools eight are open.

The following schools are open; Abington, Auchengray, Auldhouse, ,Beckford, Bent, Braidwood, Burgh, Castlefield, Coalburn, Coulter, Crawford, Douglas, Gilmourton, Glassford, Lamington, Libberton, Neilsland, Sandford, St John's (Hamilton), Stablestone, Tinto, Wester Overton and Woodside Primary Schools.

Calderglen High School, Calderside Academy, Carluke High School, Duncanrig Secondary School, Holy Cross High School, Lesmahagow High School, St Andrew's and St Bride's High School, Stonelaw High School and Kittoch School are also open.

It is likely that school meals will not be provided.

All council nurseries are closed.

There will be no bin uplift today. Residents are asked to put their bins out on Thursday instead and we will uplift as soon as possible on Thursday or Friday. There will be no special uplifts for garden waste or bulky household waste today, Thursday or Friday. The civic amenity sites will be open with the exception of the Carluke Civic Amenity Site There will be no burials or cremations today. Arrangements are being made to minimise disruption for burials and cremations being held tomorrow.

Welfare meals will be prepared and delivered as normal.

All Social Work Adult Day Care centres and day care centres for older people are closed.

Residential care is business as usual.

Home care is operating for personal care duties only. The duty team will operate a public holiday cover service.

Social Work Care and Support is business as usual.

Social Workers have been exempted to cover child protection, adult and older people services and court duties. Six duty social workers will be on call and the social Work standby service will become operational at 4.45pm.

All libraries are closed, with the exception of Calderwood in East Kilbride.

All community halls and country park buildings are closed.

More updated information will be available on www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk

NORTH LANARKSHIRE

All primary and secondary schools will be open and mainstream school bus services will operate.

Nurseries, special needs schools, libraries, museums and community centres will all be closed and there will be no uplift of domestic or commercial rubbish.

The meals on wheels service continues for vulnerable residents who receive the service daily, while there is emergency catering cover in the council's residential care facilities.

Residential homes for older people and residential children's units are operating with minimum cover.

The community alarms service will remain operative for emergency situations, while the emergency repairs service and social work services will respond to urgent calls.

For the latest info on how services could be affected, check the council's website, www.northlan.gov.uk.

Emergency Social Work services can be contacted on 01698 332139, 332114 or 332137 between 8.45am and 4.45pm. West of Scotland social work services can be contacted on 0800 811505 after office hours.

EAST AYRSHIRE

All schools and nurseries are closed.

Trade Unions have granted exemptions to the industrial action for certain support staff who work with vulnerable pupils with identified additional support needs in Special Educational Needs bases attached to schools. Parents/ carers of pupils who attend such facilities were being contacted direct by the headteacher.

There is no refuse collection and the civic amenity site at Western Road, Kilmarnock, is also closed.

Bins normally collected on a Wednesday should not be put out for uplift. Residual waste bins should be placed at the normal collections point tomorrow and they will be uplifted over Thursday and Friday. Paper and garden waste bins normally uplifted on Wednesday should be placed on Monday, August 25, and they will be uplifted over the next two to three days. Black boxes should be presented at the next scheduled collection dates however local recycling sites will be available throughout.

Only key emergency services will be provided during the industrial action.

In an emergency call 08457 240000.

The agreed exemptions to the strike include; Personal carers in the Home Care Service Two team managers to cover child protection Registration - offices for booked wedding ceremonies only Emergency Roads and Lighting staff Homeless hostels

NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL

Primary schools and special needs schools are open. Secondary schools are open to 4th, 5th and 6th year pupils only, however no school meals are available. Nurseries were expected to close.

The council advises people to put out their bins as normal, however if they are not collected today, they will be collected on Thursday or Friday. No community centres are open.