"There may be picket lines at your place of work on 8 and/or 9 March, and for any subsequent PCS industrial action.

"PCS pickets at any place of work will be aimed at PCS grades and are not intended to prevent Prospect members from attending work on these days.

"By law, protection against disciplinary or other action is only given to trade union members who are covered by the original strike ballot.

"This means that any Prospect member who decides not to cross a picket line would be in an individually vulnerable position, and in law we cannot advise members to take such action.

"However, members should not carry out work normally done by colleagues taking industrial action. If pressure is put on any Prospect member to undertake work normally performed by those on strike, they should make those responsible aware of this advice. They should then immediately inform their local Prospect full-time officer.

If there are any further questions on this guidance, please raise them with your representatives or your FTO."

PCS has issued its own guidance that also reflects this point: "...The advice relating to PCS members also applies to members of other trade unions. While we cannot ask these trade unionists to come out on strike, our representatives on picket lines should seek their support in other ways, such as asking them to attend rallies, e-mail their MP etc."