Mr Balls accused ministers of “goading” the unions Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has urged the unions not to fall into a government “trap” by striking over plans to reform public sector pensions.
He said Chancellor George Osborne was trying to provoke industrial action so he could blame them for the weak economic recovery.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Mr Balls said ministers were wrong to announce changes before talks with unions ended.
Business Secretary Vince Cable has said there will be negotiation.
Union leaders are threatening the biggest wave of strikes since 1926, after the government unveiled proposals for public sector employees to work longer and pay more for less generous entitlements in retirement.
In his article, Mr Balls writes: “From David Cameron down, ministers are saying to the trade unions: ‘Bring it on.’ As in the 1980s, they seem to be spoiling for a fight, goading the unions and trying to provoke strikes.”
“ He wants them to think that going on strike is the only option and the best way to win the argument”
Ed Balls
He said “everyone agrees public sector pensions need to be reviewed as people live longer” and pension rules “have to change” for younger workers.
But he added “the government should be getting round the table and talking changes through”.
He said the economy was “flat-lining” and Mr Osborne was hoping there would be walk-outs.
“He knows he’s losing the economic argument on the deficit and jobs and needs to change course. But instead he’s trying to pick a fight about pensions, provoke strikes and persuade the public to blame the stalling economy on the unions.”
Mr Balls added: “That’s why trade union leaders must avoid George Osborne’s trap. He wants them to think that going on strike is the only option and the best way to win the argument.”
BBC political correspondent Vicki Young said the Labour leadership had until now refused to be drawn on whether the unions were adopting appropriate tactics in their fight with the government.
Public sector workers are already facing heavy job cuts and a pay freeze.
Why are public sector workers striking? Q&A: Retirement rules and you Guide to public sector pension schemes
The government proposals would see employees – bar members of the armed forces, police and fire service – receive their occupational pension at the same time as the state pension in future.
Many can currently receive a full pension at 60 but the state pension age is due to rise to 66 for both men and women by April 2020.
Ministers also want to move the public sector scheme from a final salary system to benefits based on career-average earnings. However, lower paid workers would not have their pension contributions increased
Speaking on Saturday, Mr Cable said: “The government wants to negotiate over this and our belief is that most trade unionists want to negotiate over this as well.
“It’s a very big, complex, difficult issue. But there’s got to be reform otherwise the burden falls on taxpayers and future generations. We have got to do something about it.”
Dr Mary Boustead, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has called for negotiations to start afresh.
But a strike by the ATL and the National Union of Teachers is expected to disrupt thousands of schools in England and Wales on 30 June.
They will walk out on the same day as PCS union members, who are mainly from the civil service and government agencies.
Unison, which represents 1.3 million people working for local authorities, the NHS, colleges and the police, has not yet balloted its members on industrial action. Its leader Dave Prentis said unions were prepared for “sustained and indefinite” strikes.
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