Glasgow City Council attempted to brand the strike "unofficial and illegal."
The dispute is centred on the nine workers reluctance to agree to new conditions for the entire mechanic workforce as set-out in a pre-Christmas Workforce Pay and Benefits Review which includes the introduction of non-standard working patterns.
Willie McGonigle, branch secretary of the T&G section of the union Unite, said: "I'm always optimistic.
"Our role as a union is always to resolve such disputes."
A council spokeswoman confirmed further industrial action by the mechanics and refuse workers was planned for next Tuesday but that the council aimed to minimise disruption to refuse collections.