Janitors, cleaners and catering staff have sided with binmen and cleansing workers and have voted to take industrial action on November 1.

The employees have vowed to down their tools during the climate summit unless the national employer improves their pay. 

It comes after pay talks with COSLA - the umbrella body that represents each of Scotland’s local authorities - stalled. 

READ MORE: Binmen in Glasgow vote to strike during COP26 amid pay rise row

The GMB rejected the association's £850 pay rise proposal for those earning up to £25,000 a year after 95% of staff balloted against the bid last month. 

Chris Mitchell, who is the union's convener, said: “Over the past 18 months throughout this awful pandemic, essential services across Scotland have been held together by an army of low-paid workers.

“We were called key workers, even Covid heroes, but while politicians were happy to applaud us on Thursday nights, they’ve never put their hands in their pockets to pay us properly.

“The eyes of the world will be on Glasgow during COP26 and our politicians now have a choice – will they fairly reward the frontline workers who got the country through the pandemic, or will they risk embarrassing the city and the country on an international stage?

“The message that our members have sent with this ballot result is clear. We are taking a stand for what we deserve, and we believe the people will stand with us.”

READ MORE: RMT union confirm strikes take place EVERY DAY during COP26 in Glasgow

It means that a total of 1500 employees across Glasgow's refuse services and schools could strike when all eyes will be on the city for the climate summit. 

More than 100 world leaders and around 25,000 delegates are expected to arrive in Glasgow on November 1 for crunch talks about the global environment. 

COSLA said that "constructive" negotiations are ongoing with the union.

A spokesperson said: “We appreciate everything that local government workers have been doing, and continue to do, to support people and communities during the pandemic and as we begin to recover.

“We continue with ongoing constructive negotiations.”

Glasgow City Council said that the protests would have an "unfair" impact on the city during the time of a "national campaign".

The local authority urged the union to rethink the timing of their proposed strikes. 

A spokesman said: “These are national, rather than local, pay negotiations. The union has not made clear what action it intends to take so it’s impossible to say what the impact will be.

“However COP26 will undoubtedly be a busy and difficult time for the city and its residents. Holding this action only in Glasgow at this time will have a disproportionate and unfair local impact in pursuit of a national campaign.

"We urge them to think again about the timing of this.”

Elsewhere, rail workers have also voted "overwhelmingly" to take industrial during COP26 over an on-going pay dispute with Scotrail. 

Members of the RMT union will walk out for 12 days at midnight on Monday, November 1 until midnight on Friday, November 12.

It is thought this will cause significant disruption to the rail work during the major climate conference.