The council admitted the strike could close schools

About 250 workers attended a meeting on Tuesday night and backed a 48-hour stoppage beginning on Thursday.

It followed the collapse of talks involving the council, the T&G union and the conciliation service Acas.

Council leaders said the action was likely to lead to the closure of several of the city's schools.

The union had already received a mandate for strike action but hoped the talks would reach a compromise position, putting the stoppage on hold.

But after five-and-a-half hours, negotiations collapsed.

There was an opportunity for the council to improve its offer Tommy Campbell T&G

The T&G lodged claims for back pay on behalf of some of the council's lowest paid workers.

The staff, mainly female catering, cleaning, clerical and care workers, claimed they were owed money because of equal pay legislation, some worth up to �25,000.

The council is proposing to give out �13.5m in retrospective pay to about 2,000 staff.

T&G spokesman Tommy Campbell said: "We're very disappointed in the council, very disappointed that despite the discussions we had with Acas there was an opportunity for the council to improve its offer.

"We most certainly would have suspended the action pending further time to have a proper ballot on any improved offer from the council.

Council 'frustrated'

"The council has missed that opportunity and it's for the council to explain why it did that."

One worker said patience had run out with the council over the dispute.

She said: "We kept threatening and threatening and thought it's time. We don't want to do it, but feel we have to."

In a statement, council leaders said they were frustrated and dismayed, and claimed the offer was the best made by any local authority in Scotland. They said action would delay the process of making payments to the council staff.