A host of public services could come to a halt as the head of the civil servants' union predicts industrial action will go ahead on November 5.
Driving test officials, benefit officers and coastguards are some of the workforce expected to withdraw their contribution to public service delivery in protest at the proposed slashing of the workforce by 20%.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said he was "confident" that his 312,000 members would ballot for a "yes" vote in the call to industrial action following the chancellor, Gordon Brown's, July announcement that 84,000 civil servants would be axed as part of a government efficiency review.
This follows on from his budget announcement in March, when Mr Brown said 20,000 civil servants based in London and the south-east would be repatriated to other regions, following the Lyons' relocation review.
The job cuts will include 2,000 posts lost with the closure of 37 jobcentres and social security offices across the country.
The lack of security staff in parliament on November 5 - the anniversary of Guy Fawkes' plot to burn parliament down in 1605 - could cause headaches in light of the fear of terrorist attacks.
The PCS ballot comes at a time when civil servants not only face losing their jobs, but changes to their terms and conditions, sick absence arrangements and the prospect of working longer to receive their pension as the retirement age could rise from 60 to 65.
Members' collective decision on whether to stage the one-day strike will be known this Friday, with a "yes" vote leading to a national strike day, followed by more targeted action later on.
Mr Serwotka told SocietyGuardian.co.uk: "I am confident that members will vote for it."
The day of action will also be an opportunity to show the public the diverse range of roles civil servants play in delivering services, he said, which will be most keenly felt when the strike takes place. "It will make them realise the role we play."
The PCS represents members working in 200 government departments and quangos. It also represents workers in parts of government transferred to the private sector.
