And if the test cases being prepared by union leaders are successful, it could open the floodgates for hundreds of others to fight for a pay deal from the council.

GMB union officials said each test case represents a specific group of workers who are losing out in the multi-million pound equal pay settlement.

They claim hundreds of council workers will benefit if the cases are won - especially people who were refused compensation because they retired or quit the council before the deal was settled.

So far, council chiefs have offered a cash settlement of £40.2m to 11,000 low-paid workers, from cleaners to catering workers, and a promise to allocate another £18m for back taxes, national insurance and pension payments.

But at least 1,000 GMB members have refused the offer, and another 300 workers are thought to be taking advice from no-win, no-fee lawyers who are threatening legal action.

A council spokesman said: "We have offered compensation payments as a result of agreements reached with the trade unions. We cannot comment on individual cases where legal action remains a possibility."

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