The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) is balloting for strike action against controversial government plans to axe over 100,000 civil and public service jobs.
The biggest strike ballot in a generation would signal industrial action to be held on 5 November, if members vote to strike.
290,000 members are being asked to cast their vote.
Voters are being asked to consider job cuts, changes to terms and conditions, sick absence arrangements and longer working careers with the possibility of the pension age rising from 60 to 65.
Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary said:
“Members are angry to be faced with such damaging and arbitrary cuts, anger which will only be compounded if plans to rise the pension age get the green light. Cuts on this massive scale will damage services we all rely on from your tax credit to your car tax and from your child benefit to your pension credit.
“When all around are seeking to cut with little thought of the damaging impact it will have and as the axe begins to fall, we as a union are taking a stand. A stand in which we are confident the thousands of our hardworking members will make in voting for a one day strike highlighting the work that they do touches people’s everyday lives.”
The ballot will run to Friday 22 October 2004.
