"For every civil servant, poor pay offers have combined with a relentless attack on the ethos of public service. Professional workers are also beleaguered by a government which ignores the skills of its own workforce. These policies have created intense anger among specialist staff in many departments and agencies, such as the Highways Agency, Vehicle Operator Services Agency, Ministry of Defence and Defra.

"Unless ministers start to listen, I fear that professional workers, many performing key roles, will soon be driven to the same conclusion as their PCS colleagues."