The walk-out over pay has been scheduled for March 6 and will hit emergency 999 as well as operations in the UK's 19 rescue co-ordination centres.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), said the result of a strike ballot had been announced by Prospect and the Public and Commercial Services Unions and would affect operations rooms and marine offices.

The Agency said the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) secured 91% indicative support for industrial action from coastguards and proceeded to a formal strike ballot, the result of which was announced today. The Prospect Union also secured a majority vote to go to a strike ballot.The Prospect Union represents the majority of Marine Surveyors, who provide professional maritime expertise on the technical aspects of shipping and enforcing safety standards.

The MCA added: "Both Prospect and PCS Unions have rejected the Agency's 2006 and 07 pay deals and are acting on what they see as a lack of progress on pay negotiations. The Agency's position on both Unions continues to be the negotiation of a long term pay settlement that moves towards significant increases in pay for Marine Surveyors and Coastguards."

But a PCS spokesman said that their members were "significantly behind" in pay terms but they had tried everything to avoid industrial action, including two meetings with the relevant Minister.

"Management have driven us to the position where we see no alternative to strike action," he added.

His union added last night that the unprecedented vote, which will see up to 700 members take part in a one-day strike on Thursday March 6, is in response to pay levels that fall "way behind" those paid to other emergency services and the government's policy of below inflation cost of living increases. "The refusal to implement the findings of studies saying that their pay should be the same as other emergency services has left staff feel betrayed and let down.

"Staff are also furious over pay levels in the MCA where coastguard watch assistants, who actively participate in search planning and other duties in response to 999 calls, only earn the national minimum wage. With starting salaries of £12,097, staff have also been expected to stomach a pay cut in real terms with pay rises averaging just 2.5% for many and the most experienced staff receiving pay increases of less than 1%," the union added

Peter Cardy, Chief Executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said;

"I am very saddened by this result and the planned strike. I had hoped this strike could be avoided by our engagement with the trades unions, I have made it very clear to them that I want to keep talking about a longer term pay settlement to this dispute. I am unable to discuss such a long term agreement until the strike action ceases. Safety at sea is the MCA's key priority and by our contingency plans which are now in place I can reassure the public that an emergency response for those at risk will not be compromised by industrial action."

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