THE adage that women’s rights are workers’ rights was never better illustrated than in the two-day strike by Glasgow women council workers that began today.

It’s an irony of history that the source of their discontent was a plan to address gender pay inequality by the previous Labour administration a dozen years ago that built in further disparities.

Since then, Labour has been replaced by the Scottish National Party to run the Glasgow City Council, but the injustices faced by women members of the Unison and GMB unions have not been remedied.

It may seem incredible that, unlike many disputes where employers dig in their heels and tell their workers that there’s nothing down for them, Glasgow’s women workers are awash with sympathy.

Both Labour and the SNP agree that there is merit in their claim, which ought to be guaranteed by law, but the women have not yet received their money.

Media commentators affect a sharp intake of breath when contemplating the size of settlement that some long-service workers might expect, but this simply illustrates how much they’ve been short-changed and for how long.

Once the courts ruled in favour of the claims made by their unions, this placed an onus on the council — and most particularly the full-time officials — to expedite an agreement with union negotiators.

Yet 21 negotiating sessions over a 10-month period does not convey an impression of urgency, which is why the demand for strike action was insisted upon so strongly by the workers.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken claims that there is “no need” for the strike, warning that the action will have a devastating effect on services.

That is the responsibility of the employer, caused by imposing a dead-slow-and-stop tempo on the negotiations.

The workers’ need to strike is dictated every pay day when women look at their statement and view the injustice perpetrated against them.

To minimise the risk of further action the council should cough up now.