Crisis talks between transport bosses and union leaders over a wildcat strike that has left Glasgow's underground system at a standstill have broken up.

The talks, between Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G), broke up on Thursday evening in Glasgow.

Both sides issued a statement saying they will be meeting again on Friday for more talks.

The underground has been at standstill for two days after drivers went on an unofficial strike and management responded by sacking 32 of them over the action.

About 55,000 people use the subway daily

The T&G said it did not condone the illegal strike action, but a senior official expressed astonishment at the sacking of most of the service's drivers.

Thursday evening's statement said both sides were hopeful of an agreement that would enable drivers to be reinstated.

It was also revealed that no trains would be run on Friday, and the service would only resume when to do so "is consistent with safety responsibilities".

The dispute centres on training issues and drivers' unrest over closed circuit television responsibilities.

Prior to the talks T&G regional secretary Andy Baird said sacked train drivers had been advised to turn up for work by the union and he claimed trains could resume immediately while both sides held talks.

'Inflame the situation'

At least nine of the sacked drivers reported for work at the main depot in Govan on Thursday but were sent home after having their names taken.

Mr Baird told reporters that the union had contacted the conciliation service Acas which had offered to mediate in the dispute.

He said: "Our view is that for whatever reason they (SPT) have attempted to inflame the situation, as a result the underground is not working."

More talks are planned for Friday

He warned that replacing the sacked drivers with newly trained staff would mean no tube service in Glasgow until the end of January.

Union colleague Jimmy Farrelly claimed that the current dispute was the first unofficial action ever taken by the underground drivers.

"The last dispute with the drivers was over 14 years ago," he said.

"You are not dealing with a group of militant workers, you are dealing with a group of frustrated people."

However, Douglas Ferguson, SPT's director of operations, said the sacked staff would not be re-employed.

"They have been dismissed from their jobs and we have now started the process of recruiting a new team of drivers," he told BBC Scotland.

"We will be putting out adverts in the next few days."

Mr Ferguson said the strike was the third unofficial action by underground staff in the last year.