GLASGOW City Council's leader has promised to sort out equal pay for women even as the local authority appeals a court order to do so.

Councillor Susan Aitken renewed her commitment from the SNP election manifesto after union workers protested outside the city chambers.

The council decided to seek leave to appeal a court ruling on the issue and union leaders demanded the council settle claims without delay.

It comes just weeks after West Dunbartonshire Council voted down making historic equal pay deals for up to 1,082 low-paid female employees.

The SNP in West Dunbartonshire said Labour should have sorted the issue when they ran the council.

And Cllr Aitken also blamed Labour in Glasgow, stating: “Continuing the appeal process more, magnifies the bill for settlement.

“Every delaying tactic of the previous administration has added £20m a year to the final bill this council will be facing.”

Labour group leader and previous Council Leader Frank McAveety defended his administration, reported our sister paper, the Evening Times.

He said Ms Aitken omitted to mention payments already made on equal pay by the previous Labour led council over the last ten years.

He added: “All advice we received was QC and legal officer advice.”

A settlement of potentially hundreds of millions of pounds is feared to likely have a damaging impact on jobs and services delivered by the council.

Glasgow, said the claim would be settled, re-iterated the promise and said seeking leave to appeal did not mean the council wouldn’t pay out.

She said talks had already begun with the trade unions and the decision to seek leave to appeal was based on legal advice from council officers.

However she said there is no appeal and criticised previous councils for delaying a settlement.

She said: “The SNP committed to settling equal pay and that remains our intention. It is about justice for our staff.”

She said she understood the anger felt by the women over the issue but said no decision has been taken to appeal and the legal procedures would not be a delaying tactic.

She said legal proceedings would only be to seek clarity and would not stop the council negotiating a settlement.

Outside the chambers dozens on Unison and GMB members gathered to make their feelings known as councillors entered for a meeting of the council and their protests could be heard from inside.

Brian Smith of Unison said delaying was exactly what the council was doing and feared conflict between the political leaders and officials in charge of the council.

He said: “We don’t think the council officers are treating this as serious as they should. We see it as a delaying tactic.

“We think there is a battle going on between the senior officers and the council administration.”

Mr Smith said the final figure was not known but said it will run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

Rhea Wolfson GMB branch secretary said: “We have had money stolen from us every single day we have gone to work.

“This council has been in charge since May and they have broken their promise to us.

“We will not be put aside by future promises. The only thing for them to do is to put their money where their promises are.

“These are the people who make sure our children are fed at school, our roads cleaned, parks kept and our elderly looked after.

“These people make Glasgow. We will accept nothing less than a full settlement. We want our money and we want it now.”