Up to 35,000 prison officers across Britain were today threatening to go on strike over paramilitary attacks in Northern Ireland.
Warders warned they could walk out of 160 jails unless the British government steps up security for members who have been targeted by bombers.
Mr Colin Moses, national chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, insisted a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy later this month was now crucial.
He said: "There will be action taken throughout the UK if we can't get some sort of resolution to this after the 14th. That action could be whatever we decide, up to a full strike. We haven't taken that decision but we want this sorted out."
Morale among warders in Northern Ireland plummeted after the personal details of nearly all 1,600 were found during police raids to break up an alleged IRA spy ring in October 2002.
Even though the British government invested millions of pounds into extra protection for officers, they demanded more protection. The crisis deepened when loyalist paramilitaries launched pipe bomb attacks on serving and retired staff.
The intimidation was seen as part of a campaign to gain segregation from republican prisoners inside Maghaberry Jail near Lisburn, Co Antrim. A separation programme has been agreed, and terrorists on both sides are due to go into their divided blocks next month.