Dundee’s two SNP MSPs — Shona Robison from Dundee East and Dundee West counterpart Joe FitzPatrick — were also absent from Holyrood, but both have said they had business away from the Parliament.

MSPs, who received a £1000 pay rise last week, have come under fire after it emerged so many did not turn up at Holyrood on Monday and Tuesday, but they won’t have their Parliamentary salaries docked for non-attendance.

Ms Glen’s party was the hardest hit by numbers of missing MSPs and a party spokesperson also confirmed the group’s weekly meeting was cancelled as a result of MSP absences — a move branded “despicable” by the Taxpayers’ Alliance.

Ms Glen has spoken out in favour of PCS strikes in the past and, in 2008, lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament in favour of strikes over a 2% pay cap.

Representatives from her office said she did not cross the picket line “as an expression of support for the case presented by union members”, adding that the two committees she would have attended — Equal Opportunities and Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change — were called off as a result of the industrial action.

Ms Robison said she had been working in Edinburgh, but had no need to visit the Parliament building and cross the picket line. She said, “I was attending meetings at venues throughout Edinburgh, but I didn’t cross picket lines.

“I hope the strike action comes to an end soon to avoid further disruption. It’s obviously unfortunate and we’d like to avoid this in the future.”

When asked whether she would have crossed the picket lines if meetings had made it necessary, Ms Robison said she would have been “reluctant” to do so.

She said, “I would not have been comfortable crossing the picket line. I’m not condoning strike action, but I would have felt reluctant to go past the strikers.

“Fortunately, my ministerial duties were throughout Edinburgh and could be done without crossing the picket line.”

Dundee West MSP, Joe FitzPatrick, remained in the city due to having “business in Dundee”. He said, “I was not in Parliament because the Finance Committee was not meeting and, so, I was working in the constituency. It was not a day off. I was working on constituency matters in Dundee.

“I am sympathetic, though, to the concerns of the workers. The dispute centres on the UK Government’s aim to erode their terms and conditions and reduce services to the public.

“The Department of Work and Pensions intends to change the terms of the civil service redundancy arrangements.

“This could seriously reduce redundancy payments to staff who lose their jobs in the expected wide-scale job-losses throughout the civil service as a result of the UK Government's budget cuts. As a result of these cuts to the services, the public will suffer, too.”

Mark Wallace, campaign director for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, condemned the actions of some MSPs whom he said were “throwing their toys out of the pram.”

He added, “This is despicable. Any who refused to cross the picket line should have their pay docked. The only people who lost out were the ordinary voters who should have been represented in the Scottish Parliament.

“It’s particularly stark that they have taken this kind of action when ordinary people are struggling with the effects of the recession. An awful lot of people have lost their jobs and had to take massive pay cuts.”

…AND OUR OTHER MSPS?

Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham said she had no business in Parliament on Tuesday which would have involved her crossing the picket lines.

The SNP environment minister said, “It wasn’t a matter for me. I worked as normal.”

Mid-Scotland and Fife Tory MSPs, Liz Smith and Murdo Fraser, both crossed.

Ms Smith said, “This has been a normal week for MSPs getting on with the work which we were elected to do. For me that has meant hosting meetings in Parliament and a conference in Edinburgh.”

Mr Fraser said, “Constituents have a right to expect MSPs to work as normal even when facing picket lines and strikes by some Parliament employees.”

Central Fife SNP MSP Tricia Marwick said, “I was in Parliament on Tuesday and I was working. I had a group that was visiting the parliament and they had already booked transport, and they were there for a tour which I duly carried out.”

A spokesman for John Swinney described Monday and Tuesday as, “Normal days at work,” for the North Tayside MSP and cabinet secretary for finance and sustainable growth.

It was business as usual for north-east Fife MSP Iain Smith.

A spokesman for the Lib Dems said Mr Smith attended a mock election at Bell Baxter High School, Cupar, in the morning and went to work at the parliament in the afternoon.

St Andrews-based Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Ted Brocklebank was also in attendance at Holyrood.

His spokesman stressed, however, that there was no picket line when he arrived.

Kirkcaldy Labour MSP Marilyn Livingstone said, “I always spend Mondays in the constituency and am at Holyrood every second Tuesday for meetings of the standards and procedures committee, of which I am deputy convener.

“There was no meeting this week, and instead I met with Fife education officials in Glenrothes and attended a meeting at Adam Smith College, Kirkcaldy.”

Claire Baker, Labour MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said, “I spent Monday and Tuesday at planned engagements in my constituency.”

— The Tele contacted Angus MSP Andrew Welsh, but had not received a response at time of going to press.