Glasgow City Council has been hit by social media backlash for dubbing a cleaning worker strike 'illegal'. 

The official account for the council explained that brown and blue bins were not emptied due to"illegal strike action". 

Councillors and leading Glasgow figures have slammed the council for being "anti-trade union" and "unhelpful". 

Glasgow lawyer Aamer Anwar said: "Disgusting anti-trade union post from Glasgow City Council, stop acting like Tories!

"Bin Workers are key workers, clapped during lockdown, they have the legal right to refuse to carry out work that’s unsafe-Management stop treating our lowest-paid like trash. Solidarity with GMB Glasgow."

READ MORE: Glasgow MSP makes calls to add another lane to M8 motorway

Labour councillor for the Cardonald ward, Matt Kerr, added: "Not illegal. Unhelpful language here from @GlasgowCC.

"There’s a difference between not having legal protection (poor as it is) to strike, and breaking the law. The right to withdraw labour is a human right."

Solicitor Advocate Mike Dailly wrote: "Support for key workers can be fickle for some sadly. Without the workers who empty our bins during the pandemic & all weather conditions we’d have a public health disaster in Glasgow.

"I’m supporting these frontline workers. Let’s show them some respect please GCC."

We previously reported cleansing staff walked out in "frustration" with the council dubbing the action as an "illegal strike without any reasonable justification and taken without a ballot, a vote or notification". 

READ MORE: George Square and city centre streets redesign tender launched

Other social media users expressed their unhappiness and outrage.

One wrote: "I think instead of putting the blame on the workers why don’t you explain why they are on strike? Ps. what a petty misleading caption @GlasgowCC."

Another added: "Strike action is never illegal! Some of the draconian statutory requirements may not have been met by the union, but that doesn't make the strike illegal, it just exposes the union to liability. Shame on @GlasgowCC for this inflammatory language & solidarity with the workers!"

The staff returned to work on Wednesday after an agreement between the council and GMB officials.

A spokesman for the council said: “A group of cleansing staff refused to go work on Monday and Tuesday this week without a ballot, a vote or any notification of the intention to strike and so there was no legal basis for the strike.

“The unlawful action taken by GMB members was prompted by a call for a team to extend their working day from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, which is still two hours within their daily contracted hours.

“Various restrictions intended to suppress Covid-19 have meant certain employee groups have followed a reduced work pattern during lockdown.

“At all times during lockdown the council has followed the national waste industry guidance on Covid-19, which is developed in full consultation with the GMB.

“But the small step towards a return to normal working hours will help the city deal with the rising demand for services, such as street cleaning and fly-tipping removal.

“Agreement was reached with senior GMB officials on Tuesday for staff to return to work on Wednesday. There was also agreement with the GMB over a phased return to normal contracted hours over the next six weeks.

“But this illegal action has caused disruption to vital services, including to household bin collections, and that is completely unacceptable.”