The UK government is facing the biggest outbreak of industrial action since it came to power after civil servants joined teachers in voting heavily for strikes in worsening rows over pensions, pay and jobs.

Up to 750,000 public sector workers will stage a 24-hour walkout on June 30, with civil servants then embarking on a month-long ban on overtime.

The action could spread later in the year to other parts of the public sector, including councils and the NHS, threatening an autumn of discontent involving more than 1.5 million workers.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union voted by 61.1 per cent in favour of strikes, and by 83.6 per cent for other forms of industrial action, in a turnout of 32.4 per cent.

The union is protesting at planned changes to pensions as well as job cuts and a pay freeze for civil servants as part of the Government’s austerity measures.

The news followed huge strike votes yesterday by members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) over pensions.

More than 300,000 teachers were balloted in total, and the walkout is set to be the biggest day of action by teachers in decades.

ATL has never taken national strike action in its 127-year history, and the last time it took national industrial action was in 1979, before current legislation on balloting, over changes to teachers’ pay. Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said it would be a “big mistake” for teachers and civil servants to go on strike while negotiations were still continuing, with fresh talks planned for later this month.

The Department for Education said a strike “will only damage pupils’ learning and inconvenience their busy working parents”.

The teaching unions say the Government’s proposed pension changes will see them work longer, pay in more and receive less when they retire. ATL president Andy Brown said: “It is with deep reluctance that I announce the date for ATL’s first ever national strike.

“We have carefully picked this date to avoid external exams and important school and college events so that any strike causes as little disruption as possible to children’s education.

“We do not want to strike, but unless we take a stand now, the Government will irreparably damage education in this country and children will lose out.”

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: “Teachers do not take strike action lightly but the overwhelming support for action by NUT members shows that teachers feel what is happening to their pensions is wrong.

“The NUT will continue to take part in the TUC-led negotiations with Government on pensions. So far there is no evidence that the Government is taking those talks seriously. We hope that our action and that of the ATL will persuade the Government to change its attitude.”

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