A council that has 2,000 equal pay claims outstanding will meet trade union representatives next week in an attempt to settle the issue.

GMB Scotland has called on North Lanarkshire Council to respond to the outstanding equal pay claims they argue are being delayed because of a lack of ‘political will'.

A spokesman for the council said the need to confirm the legitimacy and accuracy of the remaining claims was the cause of the delay.

He added: ‘Both the council leader and deputy leader have made it clear that the council will settle equal pay claims where these are justified.'

The council has already paid out £100m in equal pay claims.

GMB regional organiser Hazel Nolan said: ‘The only thing stopping these women from getting the money they deserve, the money that they worked for, that belongs to them, is the political will to do so.

‘The council leader for North Lanarkshire, Cllr Jim Logue, and his fellow councillors are in a position to sort this out immediately.

‘Some of these women have died waiting and now their families are still waiting for the council to give them back their money.'

Women working across the public sector have, historically, been paid less than their male counterparts for doing comparable jobs.