Council workers are set to strike over changes to their pensions just weeks before the expected general election after a big vote in favour of industrial action announced today.
Unions representing 1.4 million local authority employees said there were huge majorities for industrial action.
The strike will go ahead on March 23, just weeks before the expected May 5 general election, unless last ditch talks planned for next week can resolve the dispute.
Unison, the Transport and General Workers Union, Amicus and Ucatt said their members voted in favour of strikes by majorities of between 73% and 87%.
Officials said feeling among council workers was "running high" as they believed they were treated as the poor relations of the public sector.
Talks with the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, last night failed to reach agreement over controversial government plans to raise the retirement age for council staff from 60 to 65, but a glimmer of hope remained when the door was left open for further talks.
The Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis, said: "Our members who have paid their pension contributions week in, week out are very angry and are not prepared to accept changes by diktat.
"The average local government pension is just £3,800 a year - not a 'fat cat' sum. Low pay within councils means low pensions."
Jack Dromey, the T&G deputy general secretary, said: "T&G members have voted by a massive 84% majority to say no. Government and local government should now sit down with the trade unions to negotiate a sensible solution which ensures the long-term viability of a good pension scheme."
