Nursery nurses have been taking action since May

Unions hope the rally will highlight the plight of more than 5,000 nursery nurses, after talks between Unison and public authority employers Cosla failed to reach an agreement.

Several hundred turnout out at the event on Glasgow Green.

Speakers included the STUC's Bill Speirs and a number of MSPs including Margaret Jamieson, Shona Robison and Carolyn Leckie.

It came after negotiations broke down when Unison rejected an �18,000 pay deal offered by Cosla saying it was "not acceptable".

With no move towards a national deal, further strikes are expected to disrupt nurseries across Scotland.

Nursery nurses are complaining that they have not had a pay review for 15 years despite having to learn additional skills and having extra duties forced upon them.

The maximum salary for a fully qualified nursery nurse with eight years' experience is �13,800, with a minimum salary of �10,000.

The dispute has been on-going since May.

Anybody asking for a 36% pay rise in this day and age with no strings attached needs to look at the justification and the reality of the claim Cosla

Joe Di Paola, Scottish local government organiser for Unison, said: "We are calling for a starting salary of �18,000 for nursery nurses rising to �21,000 with promotion.

"The Cosla offer represents a maximum of �18,000 but most nursery nurses will earn well below that until fully qualified."

However, Cosla President Pat Watters urged the union to rethink its position.

He said: "Instead of concentrating on rallies, they should be concentrating on realities.

"Anybody asking for a 36% pay rise in this day and age with no strings attached needs to look at the justification and the reality of the claim.

"The private sector are continually complaining about losing staff to our nurseries because we pay better for working less hours.

"The public needs to realise that the vast majority of our nursery nurses work for 39 weeks per year.

The nurses are demanding a pay review

"As a fair employer we cannot possibly justify paying the same for 39 weeks' work as for 52 weeks' work - which is the central plank of the trade union's claim."

Education Minister Peter Peacock said it was not appropriate for the Scottish Executive to intervene.

He said: "It is disappointing that nationally, the employers and the unions have not yet reached agreement, although I understand that some progress has been made.

"Local authorities, as employers, are continuing to work on solutions at a local level and I understand that South Lanarkshire Council have now reached a local agreement.