A summer of discontent is looking increasingly likely as protests and industrial unrest grip the country.

Rail users face travel chaos as members of the Rail Maritime and Transport workers' union (RMT) yesterday voted to strike in a dispute with Network Rail over pay and pensions.

Motorists may also be hit by rising oil prices, prompting fears of a repeat of the fuel protests of September 2000, when hauliers blockaded fuel depots and petrol pumps across Sussex ran dry.

To make matters worse, everyone in Brighton and Hove will suffer if the proposed walkout by binmen goes ahead.

Members of the GMB union were sent ballot papers this morning in the latest round of their long-running dispute with the city council.

Firefighters may strike too. Hove, Preston Circus, Brighton and Roedean stations have already taken unofficial industrial action and are only responding to emergency 999 calls.

Their actions stem from sympathy for suspended firefighters in Manchester and a row over shift patterns. Official industrial action has not been ruled out by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

The RMT has warned it might co-ordinate strike action on mainline railways with the London Underground, where union members are involved in a separate pay dispute.

It held back from naming strike dates immediately, a sign that fresh attempts could be made to avert walkouts.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said 2,947 members voted in favour of a strike and 2,246 against, a majority of 58 per cent.

He said: "Despite a venomous and misleading propaganda campaign by Network Rail, our members have voted for action to defend their pension rights, to end two-tier working conditions and for justice on pay.

"Without a word of negotiation they have closed a decent pension scheme and imposed a cheaper, inferior scheme no better than a glorified savings plan."

Mr Crow made it clear strikes would be held unless there was a breakthrough, though he added there would be no disruption during the bank holiday weekend or to coincide with events to mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day.

Network Rail warned any industrial action would be "deeply damaging".

A statement said: "The company will endeavour to run as many train services as possible during any strike, although plans cannot be finalised or released until closer to the day of any potential strike action in order to gauge the numbers of key staff available."

Shelley Atlas, chairwoman of passengers' group Brighton Line Commuters, said: "The union should be able to sort things out without resorting to strikes.

"Some employers used to accept that people could not make it to work during strike action but these days everyone is expected to get in. Some people can work from home but others cannot and they could be punished financially."

The FBU has claimed most brigades in the UK have been hit by some form of industrial action following the suspension of 36 firefighters in Salford, Greater Manchester, for refusing to operate new anti-terrorist equipment.

Firefighters are also unhappy with proposed changes to night shift working patterns.

Jim Parrot, secretary of East Sussex FBU, said: "At the moment we do a 15-hour night shift but to comply with the European Working Time Directive there is an agreement that between midnight and 7am we only answer emergency calls.

"The employers are insisting we work as normal in these hours and are tearing up the existing agreement."

A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire Authority said: "This unofficial action only affects non-emergency work such as routine training, hydrant testing and other ancillary work.

"Therefore, crews are responding to 999 calls as normal, and we would urge members of the public to dial 999 if they need our services in an emergency.

"The chief fire officer and chief executive are arranging urgent discussions with the fire authority to discuss the situation."

Although no stations in West Sussex have taken unofficial action, FBU secretary Andy Coulson said meetings were taking place across the county and some firefighters could agree to join the unofficial action in the next few days.