Hundreds of staff at the conciliation service Acas have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay.

Union leaders called on the Government to take immediate action to settle the row to avoid "embarrassing" industrial action at the organisation, which helps resolve disputes.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, which represents 630 staff at Acas across Britain, said 59 per cent of those who took part in a ballot backed strike action, with 80 per cent supporting other forms of industrial action.

The dispute follows delays in settling this year's pay rise, which was due on August 1.

Negotiations have not started yet, complained the union, adding that last year's wage increase was paid ten months late.

The PCS said it feared Acas staff faced a pay cut in real terms.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Members have indicated clearly that they are not prepared to accept below inflation pay or a repeat of last year's ten month delay. Staff are feeling betrayed and management and the Government need to act quickly in order to avoid embarrassing industrial action in Acas.

"With the Government losing the goodwill of the people who deliver the everyday things we take for granted, there is a rapid need for it to rethink its approach to public sector pay."

Meanwhile, the union confirmed that 4,500 staff at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority would stage a 24-hour strike on Friday in a separate row over pay.

The walkout is in protest at below-inflation pay offers and wage inequality, which has led to pay gaps of over £2,500 between workers in the DVLA and the Department for Transport, said the PCS.

The union is taking cases to an employment tribunal next month, claiming that women staff in the DVLA are underpaid in comparison with male driving examiners.

Mr Serwotka added: "The Government's policy of driving down wages with pay offers way below inflation is hitting people on low incomes and entrenching pay inequality in the civil service.

"It is scandalous that the DVLA's predominantly female workforce should be underpaid to the tune of £17.5 million a year when compared to colleagues elsewhere in the DfT. This latest stoppage shows that low paid, hardworking civil servants aren't prepared to let pay inequality go unchecked or endure pay cuts."

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