Up to 750,000 public sector works could take part in a co-ordinated strike later this month over pension changes, job cuts and a pay freeze.
The PCS union is expecting its members to deliver an overwhelming vote in favour of a walkout - likely to be staged on 30 June.
The move follows a decision by two teachers' unions to take action on the same day.
The government said any co-ordinated strikes would be a "mistake".
Following Tuesday's announcements of strikes by the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, a walkout is set to take place at thousands of schools in England and Wales, affecting millions of children.
If the 300,000 members of the PCS join them, it would be the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest in the public sector for many years.
Members of the PCS include court and jobcentre staff, border, customs and immigration officers, air traffic controllers and police support staff.
'Perfect storm'The results of the PCS ballot will be announced on Wednesday, but general secretary Mark Serwotka said a vote to strike was inevitable given the strength of feeling over changes to pensions.
He told the BBC that staff were being asked to work up to eight years longer and accept a three-fold rise in their contributions, while also seeing their eventual payments halved.
PCS union members
- Benefits and welfare advice
- Border and immigration
- Coastguards
- Courts service
- Customs
- Defence maintenance and support
- Information technology
- Police support
- Royal palaces
- Security
- State pensions
- Taxation
"It's absolute daylight robbery," he said, warning that action was likely to intensify further in the autumn.
"I don't think its surprising that people will want to defend themselves and if you're going to defend yourselves it obviously makes sense that you make common cause with council workers, health workers and teachers because we all face the same attacks."
And he added: "There is no indication whatsoever that the government in having any second thoughts. What they've told us is at every meeting is that they will not compromise... so in reality the talks are a farce."
Asked about suggestions that public sector pensions should be more in line with the less generous schemes in much of the private sector, he said that was an argument in favour of "an equality of misery" and did not take account of the fact that, historically, state employees have received better pensions to make up for relatively lower salaries.
Mr Serwotka said the average civil service pension was �4,000 a year - but Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude highlighted different figures, stating that a worker on the median salary of �23,000 would have a pension pot of �500,000 after 40 years' service.
He said it was fair to ask public sector workers to pay "a bit more" for their pensions - with an average rise in contributions of 3% - to create a better balance with what other workers paid.
"We have made a great deal of progress in the talks and I am hopeful that more progress will be achieved," he said.
"It will be a big mistake for people to embark on strike action while there are discussions going on."
London Mayor Boris Johnson and business organisation the CBI have suggested there should be a minimum turnout for union ballots in favour of strike action.
Earlier this month, Business Secretary Vince Cable said that while the case for changing the law was currently "not compelling", if there were co-ordinated and damaging strikes, "the pressure on us to act would ratchet up".
Mr Maude said he agreed with Mr Cable about the possibility of new legislation on a minimum turnout for a strike vote, adding: "We don't think the case is made at the moment, but we haven't ruled it out.
Further talks between the government and union leaders are scheduled for 27 June.
An independent review of pensions by former Labour minister Lord Hutton said millions of public sector workers should work longer for lower pensions and should have their pensions linked to career average earnings, rather than final salaries.
Chat about this story w/ TalkitaSource: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-politics-13772326
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