THE trust which runs most of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games venues has been officially notified of moves towards industrial action.

The three main unions have informed Glasgow Life they will ballot members after talks being held over compensation deals for working during Glasgow 2014 broke down.

The GMB said all its 300 members would be balloted concerning action to be taken, while Unison will focus on its workers within sports venues and museums and galleries.

Unions claim they were offered no more than Christmas Eve off for their members for working irregular hours and for having their leave cancelled during the Games.

Glasgow Life had previously said it would be able to manage any disruption caused by workers taking any form of industrial action, adding it did not believe there would be much impact on the venues.

They also played down the numbers which were expected to be involved.

It is still not clear what form of action has been planned by the unions.

Cal Waterson, the organiser for the GMB, declared: "Any action would certainly have an impact on all venues that are organised by Glasgow Life and would be a fairly significant disruption.

"They clearly undervalue their staff if they think this will cause little or no disruption."

Meanwhile it emerged that Glasgow firms have won more than £200million worth of contracts for the Games.

And 4,500 people have gained jobs, apprenticeships or training in less than five years.

City council leader Gordon Matheson will announce the boost to the city at a meeting in the City Chamber Clackmannanshire later this week

He will reveal Games contracts worth more than £400m have been awarded so far, with city firms winning half.

The council has been determined the event should leave a lasting legacy for the city.

As a result, clauses were added to contracts for high-profile Games construction contracts, ensuring jobs were offered to the long-term unemployed and school leavers.

And the council's £50m Glasgow Guarantee, which aims to ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has access to a job, training or an apprenticeship has benefitted 4,500 people.

The Stalled Spaces scheme has brought the equivalent of five full-sized football pitches of vacant land back to temporary use with the help of almost 400 volunteers working on 83 projects creating gardens and sports spaces.

More than £700m has been invested in a number of transport schemes which include the completion of the M74 motorway and the second stage of the road linking the M74 with the heart of the East End.

Subway and railway stations across the whole city have benefitted from £50m of investment and £10m has been spent on creating and upgrading a total of 11 miles of walking and cycling networks.

Mr Matheson said: "Our preparations for the Games have resulted in not only a massive economic legacy, but a city that is improved environmentally and socially."