Members at the Highway Agency are to discuss possible industrial action after management imposed a pay offer that was rejected by 615 to 105. Members at the Met Office rejected their offer by 608 to 179.

Responding to the results, Prospect Assistant General Secretary Dai Hudd said they were indicative of the growing sense of injustice felt by the union’s 40,000 specialist members right across the public sector.

"These results underscore the message we are hearing repeatedly from our members in a wide spectrum of government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

"But these are only the tip of the iceberg. The draconian 2% cap imposed by the Treasury and a host of delayed offers mean that less than one quarter of civil service pay bargaining units have even received an offer for 2006.

"This is against a backdrop of repeated proposals for contracting out, privatising and relocating public sector posts, often implemented with no workforce consultation. This level of dissatisfaction is unprecedented in recent years, and has not come about through any campaigning by the union itself. Members are literally telling us ‘enough is enough’."

Prospect's Highways Agency section is now drawing up plans to ballot members for a series of one-day strikes. Staff affected would include on-road traffic officers, supervisors and managers, together with agency specialists including civil engineers and technical staff.

Met Office members’ rejection of the offer comes against a backdrop of low morale within the branch following extensive reviews and relocations that have failed to deliver promised benefits to staff. Met forecasters say they feel their roles are being diminished and deskilled and the service to customers diluted.

Prospect, along with PCS, NIPSA and POA, has written to Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell in a bid to reach agreement on concerns surrounding pay, pensions, redundancy compensation and restructuring, and a response is expected shortly.