Teachers, train drivers, civil servants, university lecturers, bus drivers and security guards from seven trade unions will walk out on Wednesday in what will be the biggest day of industrial action in over a decade.

Protests will be held across the country on the same day against the government’s controversial plans for a new law on minimum service levels during strikes. The new law allows the government to set minimum levels of service which must be met during industrial action to ensure access to public services.

Wednesday’s planned action involves members of the NEU (National Education Union), Aslef, Rail, Maritime and Transport union, University and College union, Public and Commercial Service union, Unite and the IWGB, and will see the biggest day of strikes since 2011 when a national day of action was held by public sector unions over pensions.

Picket lines will be mounted outside schools, train stations, universities and government departments on Wednesday, and rallies will be held across the country.

Meanwhile, the Trades Union Congress said it will hand in a petition to the prime minister’s office , signed by more than 200,000 people, opposing the new legislation on strikes.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the prime minister and chancellor now had to get involved in trying to resolve the long running disputes in the health service, education, civil service and other parts of the public sector.

 Nowak told the PA, “I hope it will send a clear message to the government that they cannot continue to ignore the demand for fair pay.”