Sir Ken Jackson, the former joint general secretary of Amicus and a staunch New Labour supporter, lost out to Derek Simpson after a series of ballot recounts.

The GMB's John Edmonds said the Amicus vote was part of a swing away from New Labour occurring across the union movement.

The Labour leadership has an increasingly fractious relationship with the unions and a showdown, particularly over the use of private money in the public sector, is widely predicted.

Is New Labour losing the support of the unions? What are the reasons?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

Your reaction

Some unbelievable responses - Labour has introduced a minimum wage, raised the wages (in real terms in a period of very low inflation) by more than the Conservative ever did and raised tax to address the financial issues facing transport, health education etc. In short everything that I voted for and the unions supported.

What we are seeing is extreme left wing union officials promising pay rises etc. that no-one will be able to deliver to get into power. Why should any union employee get more than an inflation matching pay rise if they do not get promoted? No-one in private industry would expect that.
Mark Davies, UK

Many of us feel demoralised, poorly rewarded and unappreciated.

Paul, England

I am a member of a public sector trade union that is not affiliated to the Labour Party although I am a member myself. I worked hard to get Blair elected in both general elections and yet I recognise the different loyalties involved. Yes New Labour has made significant reforms to the ghastly legacy of greed and self-interest of Thatcherism. I don't begrudge the, relatively small, tax rises and would gladly pay more for world class public services. However, Blair seems blind to the efforts of public sector workers themselves. Many of us feel demoralised, poorly rewarded and unappreciated. Many of us undertake highly responsible and sensitive jobs for little reward. Public sector employers in most major conurbations now find it virtually impossible to recruit and retain staff. This is not socialism it is simple supply and demand Tony. Pay us more or the whole system will collapse.
Paul, England

Given the increasing signs of union militancy, and of taking out their grievances on a hostage public, it is good that the ruling party is losing its union links. Most of the population neither need nor want such power in the hands of a few union leaders. Unions are supposed to exist to help those workers who cannot help themselves. In these days of nearly full employment, they are becoming less and less useful in that role, and so should expect to see their influence declining.
John, England

Blair and his cronies have deserted the working class and low paid in effort to gain support from the middle class. This has worked in the short term but not for much longer I suspect. As a civil servant on �5.75 an hour I am appalled at the lack of interest my party and the party I voted for has shown towards me and those like me.
David Fell, UK

Lose the unions or lose the next election

Bob Crozier, UK

Blair must cut himself loose of the Unions altogether. There is no way he can push through reform if every time he ploughs money into the public services the unions eat it up with pay demands and lower productivity due to strikes. Lose the unions or lose the next election. Take control of the unions just as the previous Conservative Government did.
Bob Crozier, UK

Whilst having sympathy for public sector workers on low pay (especially in London and the South East), the Local Government and Tube Strikes only show one thing - that certain factions in the Trade Union movement seem not to have understood the significance of the Thatcherite-Blairite shift in politics in the last 20 years. To call for a "return to traditional Labour values" is sublimely ridiculous hubris, especially when to left-wingers that probably means a form of "beer and sandwiches" syndicalism. The bottom line is, the electorate ultimately runs the country through its elected representatives, not the Unions. If they aren't careful, those in the Union movement calling for this shift to the left may find themselves tackling the Tories in government, rather then Labour, just like in 1979.
James P, UK

So 160,000 people vote for a new leader of their union, and suddenly it's unions vs Blair in the press. What a surprise! New Labour is still better than IDS and his boys, remember that.
Andrew M, UK

Mr Blair has been out of touch with the grassroots for some time; and it began with the imposition of candidates upon constituencies, disregarding the wishes of the local Party workers. If this attitude persists, then things will only get worse.
Roy Vaughan, South Yorks.

Presumably because New Labour = Old Tory..... With the support of big business, who needs the Unions?
Rhys Jaggar, England

It's easy to forget that Labour have been in power for over 5 years and achieved what? I for one am sick and tired of re-announcements (with fanfare) of commitment of the SAME money for public services, over and over again. How many times is Mr Brown going to continue doing this? As for the unions, they can see that what we actually have in power is nothing different to the Tory party of the early 90's, albeit behind the "Red Rose" Grinning Blair mask. They have had enough, and are attempting to make a stand. Good for them!
Darren, UK

At the end of the day a Labour government is the best one for the trade unions and the majority of people in this country. When Gordon Brown's spending spree shows results I hope the unions will be grateful once more.
Alex Harper, England

Labour has its origins in the trade union movement, since Tony Blair took the helm of the Labour leadership he has forgotten this very quickly, however whilst still taking money from the unions. His two faced approach is Labour's own downfall, he has to realise that not only are they losing the support of unions in general but also the people who are members of unions. He cannot seem to understand that he attained his position with the assistance and help of unions, however distasteful that may be to him, it is a fact. Come the next general election Tony Blair may find he is short of a few million votes.
Phil Caldwell, UK

Tony Blair should be rather worried by what's going on. Labour are losing the support of the working classes and the unions, but if they try too much to please them they are likely to lose the support of the middle classes who brought them to power. It was precisely because Labour turned away from the failed old socialist dogma, and took on more conservative policy that they became so electable. However support from Middle England is finely balanced, especially if the massive tax increases they have inflicted fail to provide better public services. By trying to please both groups at the same time they are losing support from both the left and the right, which could lead to a massive election meltdown if they are not careful.
Richard, UK

The sad thing is - every single person who has criticised the Labour Party's desertion of unions will still vote for them at the next election.
Sam Johnson, Wirral

The unions have to drag themselves into the 21st century or they will slowly disappear

Charles, UK

If we discount the "public sector" unions for the moment the remainder now account for a small and probably declining percentage of the workforce. Union membership is no longer attractive to many people as most union leaders are more interested in forcing their narrow mostly extreme left agendas onto the whole population.

Blair was intelligent enough to realise that a Labour party following the unions' agenda was unelectable. His big mistake was to think he could sit between the left and the middle classes when he should have ditched the left wing dinosaurs altogether. Whether the unions like it or not they have to accept that the rest of us are fed up with them re-fighting the battles of the 1930's. The unions have to drag themselves into the 21st century or they will slowly disappear just like the old soviet style of socialism many of them crave to reintroduce.
Charles, UK

I don't understand the unions. The Labour government may not have achieved everything everyone wants, but it created and increased the minimum wage, radically improved union legislation, has nearly full employment, and Gordon Brown has just committed an extra �60 billion to public services. Only 25% of members voted in the Amicus election, I think it is not only the Labour party that can be accused of all spin no substance, the unions are clearly guilty of this
Katie, UK

People in the lowest paid jobs, have been ignored for over 20 years now. Nurses teachers, factory workers, those who have REAL jobs, not consultants, HR, advertising, marketing, but real workers who work long hours for much much less than the UK average. These people who the politicians really don't care about are finally saying that they have had enough of being bullied by employers, being fired with no notice, having their pay frozen while watching their bosses wages rise several hundred per cent. I think it is about time that ordinary workers stood up for themselves again, leaving the Thatcher, Major and Blair legacy behind
vish, UK

Given the fact that the government trumpet on a daily basis how well off we all are under them, there is a vast army of lowly paid workers who do not feel that this is the case, all they see is things like MPs giving themselves 25% pension uplifts whereas the ordinary man in the street sees the an uncertain old age as defined benefits pension schemes disappear. Is it any wonder that Labour's paymasters feel betrayed.
Rick, UK

New Labour have lost the support of the working man. We voted them in because we thought we would get honesty and redress of the Tories anti-labour laws. We have got neither.
Mick Caffery, UK

Rank and file trade unionists are voting with their feet as regards New Labour. Thousands have left the Labour Party as it has gone over to a pro market pro big business agenda. Millions of workers are now waking up to the need for militant trade union action to defend their working conditions and jobs. New Labour long ago abandoned them. That is why, conference after conference, resolutions are passed to reduce the money going to the Labour Party. Its about time the unions abandoned the Labour Party and built their own party that more represents the interests of their members.
Bill Mullins, UK

Blair is seen as a closet Tory more in tune with the middle and business classes

Shaun Crowther, UK

The answer to the question is a simple yes. As a former union official in the Post Office for over 10 years I began to lose count of the rank and file union members who have lost faith in the New Labour government. The general bone of discontent is that this Labour government does not have the best interests of the working classes at heart. Tony Blair is seen as a closet Tory more in tune with the middle and business classes.
Shaun Crowther, UK

If New Labour thinks this is a blip they should think again. People are beginning to turn. However Sir Ken should not fret too much - we will no doubt see him in the Lords very soon.
Bill, UK

Tony Blair has performed a miracle, as once defined by Ian Hislop on 'Have I Got News For You'. To quote Mr Hislop: "Blair took the Labour Party, made it electable, and came out with - the Conservative Party." Sadly he never asked the rank and file. He sticks with largely conservative policies. My wife, a life-long Labour supporter, does not recognise the party now. The Unions want payback for the millions they have put into Labour over the years. Now Blair tells them to go away. Should we be surprised when they desert Labour?
Paul Gregory, Scotland

Originally, new Labour appeared to be a more up-to-date, street-wise alternative to traditional Labour. Sadly, it has become more and more apparent that it is more akin to traditional Conservatism than to Labour. If the government is trying to woo the middle classes (traditionally the management classes) then it's not going to look so attractive to the working classes (traditionally the workers). You can't have your cake and eat it, Tony old son.
James, UK

The exclusive relationships that existed throughout the 20th century put Labour politics in the strait jacket

John Brownlee, England

All the signs that a looser relationship is developing between the Labour Party and the Unions are there and I, for one, think this a good and healthy thing. The exclusive relationships that existed throughout the 20th century put Labour politics in the strait jacket of union rhetoric and alienated the party from millions who had little time or understanding of the blinkered agenda that is the daily bread of the Unions. Perhaps the Unions could now grow up a bit and maybe we�ll see some of them contributing to the Lib Dems and the Tories where they see these Parties representing their interests.
John Brownlee, England

New Labour has shifted to the right, looking for support more from the middle classes rather than rank and file trades unionists. The trades unions exist solely to benefit their members. Gone are the days when Labour was the political voice of the union movement. If New Labour has moved on then so must the unions.
Paul R, UK

There are a million members in Amicus. Yet only 160,000 voted. We need unions like amicus like we need a hole in the head. What has happened to democracy?
Mike, UK

As a member of Amicus, I have never received anything from my union about this election - least of all a ballot paper. So I'm somewhat bemused by the whole thing!
Kevin Wilkins, UK

Letting the union support slip away is the worst thing Tony Blair can do.

Sam, UK

New Labour are loosing the support of the Unions. New labour lost the backing of the workers a long time ago. Labour has refused to act in the interests of the majority of fundamental workers in the country so the workers have turned to the Unions. Letting the union support slip away is the worst thing Tony Blair can do. It creates an even greater detachment between the works and the government.
Sam, UK

Once again the unions are shooting themselves in the foot. The Labour government may not be perfect, but they'll get more concessions from them than they will from a Conservative administration. If striking increases, and they bring down the Labour government like they did in 1979, then I hope they will be forced to eat their own words when they find themselves under a anti-union and anti-rights IDS government!
Andrew Leitch, Scotland

The government that I helped to elect isn't speaking for me anymore. Tax rises, the adoption of American foreign policy, Spin, stupid new laws and a blatant lack of promise keeping is all adding up. No wonder the unions are backing away.
Don, UK

The only surprise is that this has taken so long. For a generation we seem to have had union leaders who just go along with all anti-worker legislation or at least just roll over and take it. Why should working people not have the benefit of our prosperity? New Labour is a waste of space and the patience of its traditional supporters as well as many others with the uncritical pro-business agenda is finally wearing thin.
Barry Tregear, England

Ken Jackson has got his just deserts

Brian, UK

Some time ago I resigned from MSF (one of the constituents of Amicus) in protest against the militant Europhile stance of its leadership and the desertion of the true interests of the Union's members in favour of more and more Union-branded commercial products. Just like New Labour, really. Ken Jackson has got his just deserts; I can only hope that it will be as easy to get rid of Blair.
Brian, UK

There has always been friction between organised labour in the form of the trade unions and the Labour Party. This is nothing new and is more indicative of lazy journalism than an end to the honeymoon between the unions and Labour Party. What really annoys me is that the media including the BBC still insists on lumping all trade unions as sponsors/supporters of the Labour Party when nearly 50% of the membership of TUC affiliated unions are not affiliated to the Labour Party.
Steve Ainsworth, United Kingdom

I am inclined to see it the other way round - Unions are losing support of New Labour. Working for the Public Sector and a member of UNISON I am disgusted as to how they have conducted themselves over this strike. They want a 12% wage increase because that is what nurses got. I'm sorry but Local Government work is nothing like NHS work and so the jobs are valued accordingly. Pay rises are not a right anyway, they are a bonus. These people who run UNISON have no grasp whatsoever about economics and how wages and job values are determined by market forces and supply and demand. At the end of the day it all amounts to greed and no consideration for how this strike affects others, particularly those in need such as the elderly and children at risk, whom my work evolves around. Yes, I believe New Labour are turning their back on the Unions. We need Unions to support the workers. What we don't need is selfish militant-socialists.
Red Kev, England

This is not so much a case of New Labour losing union support, it's more a case of a large proportion of the electorate being forced to take militant action to get a decent wage and better working conditions. If the government won't give them willingly, then of course people will swing behind the unions again.
Graham Rodhouse, The Netherlands

A return to Union dominance would mean an end to their electoral success.

Jon Cooper, UK

The Labour movement seems to be reverting to type. Despite Tony Blair's best efforts, the old socialists are coming out of the woodwork. Blair was elected precisely because he represented a face of the 'left' which was not socialist or from the reactionary and destructive strike-ridden mentality of the old left and its union dominated hierarchy. If Labour moves back in this direction they will lose electoral support. A return to Union dominance would mean the end of new Labour, the end of their centre ground support and an end to their electoral success. Blair knows this. This, and all the despicable strikes happening at the moment is the best news the Tories have had for years.
Jon Cooper, UK

Why should we be surprised by this ... Labour couldn't keep themselves together if their very survival depended on it! It was just a matter of time.
Mark M. Newdick, US/UK

Clearly with some unions stopping or re-directing their donations labour is losing support, and given this governments continual destruction of basic English freedoms the Unions expect to be on the list for targeting for more attacks on their Rights.
James, England