Labour retreats over union rights

Labour "modernisers" are being forced to retreat from proposals to water down a manifesto commitment on trade union recognition in the workplace.

The manifesto says: "People should be free to join or not to join a union.

"Where they do decide to join, and where a majority of the relevant workforce vote in a ballot for the union to represent them, the union should be recognised. This promotes stable and orderly industrial relations."

But alarm bells rang throughout the Labour Party last week, when Adair Turner, director-general of the CBI, said he believed that ministers favoured his own tough interpretation of the manifesto pledge - that a majority of those entitled to vote, rather than a majority of those voting, was needed for recognition to be given.

A senior government source told the Independent that he suspected Mr Turner had been given a nod-and-wink by No 10, and if that was the case there would be a "battle royal" to get the union rights put through on the more lax, union-led interpretation of a majority of employees voting.

However, a Downing Street spokesman said: "We will act in accordance with the manifesto." That was immediately seen by insiders as a hint of concession to come; recognising the powerful forces now being mobilised against the CBI line.