Proposed industrial action would take place on 5 November

The Public and Commercial Services union is planning a day of industrial action in protest at government plans to axe 104,000 jobs.

The union's general secretary Mark Serwotka said members were angry to be facing "damaging and arbitrary cuts".

Industrial action would take place on 5 November if workers vote for a strike over the next few weeks.

'Massive scale'

Mr Serwotka said the workers' fury would be compounded if government plans to increase the pension age get the green light.

As the axe begins to fall, we as a union are taking a stand Mark Serwotka

"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," he said.

"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."

Mr Serwotka was confident members would vote for the strike to "highlight the work members do that touches people's everyday lives".

Most government departments are likely to be affected by the dispute, including the Home Office, health and transport departments, Inland Revenue, Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The strike is being planned over a series of issues, mainly the job cuts but also over proposals for longer working hours and threats to civil servant pensions.

Last month it was announced that a total of 37 social security offices and jobcentres across the UK will close in the first wave of plans to shed civil service jobs.