Workers at Glasgow City Council are to be balloted for strike action over the authority was accused of failing to meet commitments on equal pay.

Around 4700 Unison members employed in the council's education services or through the Cordia care service will be balloted, the union said.

According to the union, the decision was taken after the council "backed out" of talks in preferences of working out a deal "behind closed doors" - a stance which the council denies.

In a statement, the union said: "Unison members are clear that they will not accept being presented with an offer at the 11th hour and the pressure this would bring on them as low paid, undervalued workers.

"This is not what the council leader promised in January, not what the council politicians decided, and breaks the commitments given after the union ran a consultative strike ballot in May.

"Unison members want negotiated settlements and want their employer to engage in meaningful discussion."

The ballot will run from August 28 to September 18.

Unison branch chair Carol Ball said: "In light of the council's failure there is no alternative other than to now formally ballot members in our branch on strike action.

"The purpose of strike action would be to force the council to negotiate and agree a proper settlement package within an acceptable timescale."

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "This is simply untrue.

"The council has committed to make an offer in December, which it will do, and we are committed to discuss the component parts of that offer prior to that.

"We have discussed this with the claimants' representatives a number of times - most recently today."

He added: "It is not at all clear why they continually insist on misleading their members. The fact remains that the council's equal pay team is working as fast as possible on this.

"Unison knows that strike action cannot possibly make this process move any faster, given they signed up to negotiations until the end of the year.

"Therefore, putting vulnerable people at risk by calling a strike which cannot possibly change the timescale all claimants agreed to cannot be justified."