Schools have the right to refuse work to supply teachers who took part in the equal pay strike, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken admitted.

She has confirmed that city bosses won’t take legal action against workers who refused to cross the picket line.

It comes after Eastbank Academy teacher Victoria Wainwright was allegedly told by the deputy head that she “would not get another job in Glasgow” because she refused to work during the strike.

An emergency motion was tabled by Labour councillors yesterday insisting that the strikes were “legitimate” and that threats of action against staff were “unacceptable”.

Speaking at a meeting of the full council yesterday, Ms Aitken said: “I’m reluctant to comment on specifics of individual cases.

“My understanding is that the teacher in question (Ms Wainwright) was a supply teacher and it’s up to individual schools who they employ.

“Schools are entitled to make a judgment on which supply teachers they do and do not employ.”

Ms Aitken also revealed that discussions are ongoing with Unison and GMB members in a bid to reach a settlement over years of unfair pay for women.

She said that a meeting had taken place last Thursday and discussions were “constructive and positive”.

And she confirmed that council chiefs and union representatives will meet every week until a deal is thrashed out.

Ms Aitken added: “It’s crucial that we don’t lose sight of why we’re doing this.

“The pay and grading system does discriminate against women. I’m confident work will continue in a constructive manner.”

Her comments came after the emergency motion was tabled by Labour councillor Martin McElroy, who said: “No one should be forced to cross a picket line, and no one should be threatened by management with disciplinary action or threats about being sacked.

“There are serious questions about some of the rhetoric coming from senior figures in the council.”

Last week’s strike saw around 8,000 Unison and GMB union members walk out for 48 hours, with schools shut and home care, cleaning and catering services also affected. But refuse workers, traffic wardens and other staff who aren’t part of the unions also refused to cross the picket-lines.

It all relates to a pay and grading system which was introduced by Glasgow City Council in 2006.

It was supposed to end gender-based inequality but women in traditionally female-dominated sectors – such as care and cleaning – found they were being paid less than men in jobs including refuse collection.

In November 2017 the Court of Session ruled that the council had failed to prove its grading scheme was compliant with equal pay laws.

Since then Unison and the GMB unions have been locked in talks with city bosses to try and thrash out a compensation deal which council leader Susan Aitken admitted would run into the “hundreds of millions of pounds.”