A CABINET minister sparked outrage yesterday after accusing union “militants” of “itching for a fight” as plans were being finalised for a strike by up to two million workers, ranging from lollipop ladies and refuse collectors to headteachers and nuclear physicists.

Education Secretary Michael Gove was angrily criticised after saying union leaders wanted to “wreck” economic recovery and cause public misery.

Unions said many workers involved in tomorrow’s walkout would be taking strike action for the first time in their lives, adding that the Government was becoming desperate because it was losing public support.

The Prime Minister said the strike will damage the economy, while it emerged that airlines have cancelled some flights in and out of Heathrow airport.

Unison leader Dave Prentis said there was absolutely no chance of reaching a deal in the next few days over the Government’s controversial pension reforms, announcing that the union had doubled its recruitment in recent weeks as a result of the dispute.

“It could be the biggest action since the 1926 General Strike,” he predicted.

More than 1,000 demonstrations will be held across the UK tomorrow as part of the action, which Mr Gove said would lead to the closure of nine out of ten schools in England.

In an outspoken intervention in the bitter dispute, he said it was unfair and unrealistic to expect taxpayers to foot the increasing bill for pensions. “Among those union leaders are people who fight hard for their members and whom I respect.

"But there are also hard-liners – militants itching for a fight.

“They want families to be inconvenienced. They want mothers to give up a day’s work, or pay for expensive childcare, because schools will be closed.”

He indicated that he wanted reforms to strike laws to be considered to give headteachers more notice of whether they would be able to keep their schools open.

At present, individuals are not obliged to inform their school that they intend to join the walkout until the day of the industrial action.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National of Teachers, said: “This strike has nothing to with ‘militants’ but everything to do with teachers and headteachers who do not believe the Government is being fair or reasonable.”

Mr Prentis warned of further industrial action in the new year if the dispute is not resolved.

“It could involve rolling programmes, region by region, service by service, workers within particular services – nothing is ruled out at this stage,” he told a news conference in London.

Unison said applications to join the union had increased by 126 per cent since its strike ballot result was announced earlier this month.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said he did not support strikes, because they were “always a sign of failure”, but he insisted he would not “demonise” those taking action.

David Cameron chaired a contingency meeting yesterday, discussing the likely impact of the strike.

* NO border controls will be relaxed to ease queues at airports during the public sector strike tomorrow, Home Office minister Lord Henley said yesterday.

He insisted the security of the UK’s border remained the Government’s priority and contingency plans were in place to deal with the situation.

Two million public sector workers are expected to strike over pensions and passengers have been warned there could be huge queues at airports.

Answering an urgent question in the House of Lords, Lord Henley said: “We started training additional staff in contingency in April and adequate resources are now available.

Staff deployed on the frontline will have received training to operate effectively.”

Liberal Democrat deputy peers leader Lord Dholakia called for an assurance there would be no let-up in checks.

“None of the checks will be relaxed,” Lord Henley said.