Hundreds of thousands of Government employees are preparing to strike in a dispute over pay.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said up to 260,000 workers in jobcentres, benefit offices, courts, museums, driving test centres and Coastguard sites across the UK will take part in a nationwide strike on November 10.

The walkout will be followed by a rolling programme of more strikes, aimed at causing "maximum" disruption to Government services.

General secretary of the union, Mark Serwotka, said the multibillion-pound bail-out of banks by the Government had caused "large-scale anger" among civil servants embroiled in long-running rows over pay.

He said: "The Government has been able to find whatever funds it takes to help the banks but is not having a proper dialogue with its own workers, who face rising bills and below-inflation pay rises."

Mr Serwotka said the November 10 stoppage will be followed by a nationwide ban on overtime which will last for at least three months and will cause "significant disruption" to services, including jobcentres, at a time of rising unemployment.

"We have three weeks now to try to resolve this dispute - but we have been talking with the Government for five years and they haven't delivered anything."

Future strikes could be co-ordinated with teachers and health workers who are also in dispute over pay, said the PCS.

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