Union leaders have responded to the council leader Susan Aitken’s criticism of the strike action.

Ms Aitken said the Unions had misled their members over progress on equal pay negotiations and critised their role in the history of the equal pay issue.

Brian Smith, Unison Glasgow branch secretary, said: “How patronising to working class women.

“The members are pushing the union leadership on this. It is the other way round form what the council leader is saying.

“We are responding to calls from our membership.”

Mr Smith said the progress has not been what was expected.

He added: “We want significant progress on the elements that would make up someone’s settlement like job comparators, shift payments and interest payments. None of these elements has been agreed.”

On the past dealings of the unions over qual pay, Mr Smith added: “The things that have happened have happened and Stefan Cross has the most claimants

“Union members won’t like hearing anti trade union comments from the SNP leader of Glasgow City Council.”

Hazel Nolan, GMB Scotland Organiser, said: “'Susan Aitken is making the same mistakes as her predecessors. We are at a junction where Susan Aitken either chooses to show real leadership or continues as a mouthpiece of the same Council officials.

“The trade unions have been clear from the start that what we are seeking is meaningful negotiations so that any offer made reflects the loss suffered by our members. We remind her that the roadmap for re-engaging in negotiations has been laid out.

“Susan Aitken is deeply misled if she believes that this strike is not driven by union members unhappy with the Council’s negotiating process, and we invite her to meet with our members to have them tell her as much face-to-face.

“Any suggestion that strike action is being motivated by anything other than a desire to achieve a fair settlement for working women isn’t credible given the fact that both Unison & GMB are involved in the dispute and the strength of the mandates both unions received for action.”