Unison union members who work for Glasgow City Council (GCC) and its outsourced companies have started balloting for strikes this week.
GMB members are also due to take action, and have served notice on GCC.
Workers in education and Cordia—who provide care, catering and cleaning services—began a ballot on Tuesday.
The 5,200 workers are part of a battle that involves seven sectors.
They are considering strikes against an unfair pay structure that saw thousands of women paid less than men.
Low-paid workers have been fighting for over a decade for a new pay scheme and a backdated pay award. In January the Scottish National Party-run council voted to resolve the dispute and start negotiations with unions and the Action 4 Equality legal firm.
Since then, fortnightly meetings between all parties were held to decide a formula for agreeing financial settlements.
But in August council negotiators suspended all talks until October.
The latest action comes after years of GCC dragging its heels and denying workers what they are rightfully owed.
Education and Cordia workers should deliver a huge ballot for strikes, and work to extend the action to others. The ballot runs until 18 September.