THE Government faced the threat of the biggest outbreak of industrial action since the 1926 General Strike today after unions representing millions of public sector workers served notice of ballots over pensions.
Unions made a series of announcements about strike ballots, raising the threat of a series of walkouts from late November.
Unison, Unite and the Fire Brigades Union all gave notice of ballots in the worsening row over pensions and launched angry attacks against the Government.
Unisons general secretary, Dave Prentis, said 9,000 separate employers' groups will be involved in the action, describing the ballot as unprecedented in scale.
He told the TUC Congress in London that unions were involved in the "fight of our lives" and was given a standing ovation by the 300 delegates after his ballot announcement.
The FBU announced the first step towards balloting the unions 43,000 members, raising the threat of industrial action with no Green Goddess military cover.
Firefighters last took national strike action in 2003, when Green Goddesses were used as emergency cover, but the ageing military vehicles have since been taken out of service.
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