Lew Adams: "Don't treat us like lemmings"

BBC Correspondent Steven Evans reports Dur: 3'02"

Unions Fight Labour Reforms

They met privately this week to discuss the Government's Party into Power document, which they say downgrades their role.

At the meeting, strong dismay was voiced at proposals which they fear will cut their power in the Labour conference and on the national executive.

An alliance of unions from right and left has been formed to fight the changes: as they put it, drawing a line in the sand.

 Ken Jackson of the engineering union AEEU makes his case
on the Today programme. Dur: 3'08"

One of the leaders - Lew Adams of the rail union ASLEF - says the unions had helped Labour win power, so they should retain their influence

"We don't want to be treated like lemmings going to the cliff," he said. "We want to be able to make decisions within the constitution of the Labour Party and people will listen.

"We know best about our industries. We can make a contribution to the reorganisation of this country. Don't reorganise the Labour Party; get rid of what the Tories have done over the previous 18 years and let's do something that's good for Britain."

The BBC's Industry Correspondent says part of the problem is that some union leaders simply do not get on with the party leader, the Prime Minister Tony Blair, in a way that they do with Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Brown entertains them frequently, but some unions complain that their leaders rarely, if ever, go to 10 Downing Street. It looks as though a lack of trust is now leading to a serious confrontation between New and Old Labour.