TRADE UNION leaders are becoming increasingly concerned at what they see as anti-partnership comments from Labour leader Pat Rabbitte and Fine Gael's Richard Bruton.

Rabbitte last weekend sparked outrage among the trade unions when he criticised ATGWU regional organiser Brendan Ogle for threatening industrial action over the government's plans to break up the ESB.

Rabbitte said the unions' threat of blackouts was "irresponsible and way over the top". While Rabbitte said his party was not convinced of the merits of the government's plans for the ESB, he questioned why the social partnership structures were not capable of facilitating the union's input.

Also, while speaking at a press conference last Thursday outlining Labour's health policies in advance of the general election, Rabbitte was repeatedly asked to back the nurses' and midwives' dispute over staffing levels at the new 75m Cork University Maternity Hospital, and refused to do so.

While the ATGWU, Ogle and the INO have never been strong supporters of partnership, they are still members of Ictu and the unions fear that Rabbitte is attempting to move the Labour Party away from its traditional union roots, just as Tony Blair did in the UK.

"If the opposition get in, we certainly won't be able to lift the phone to government buildings anymore, " bemoaned one trade union insider.

The unions also believe that Rabbitte is adjusting his policies to reflect the fact that, while the unions have retained significant power at national level, their influence at shopfloor level among ordinary workers is steadily declining. Union membership in the private sector is now down to less than one in four.

Adding flavour to the current testiness is the fact that, in 1989, Rabbitte's departure from the old ITGWU . . . the precursor of Siptu . . . was far from amicable. Rabbitte was a national officer in the union when he applied for leave of absence to fight the election for Democratic Left, which has since merged with Labour. But in a strange reversal of its policy of supporting and granting leave for union officials to stand for the Dail, Rabbitte and Eamon Gilmore were refused the leave. Both subsequently quit the union and won a seat each.

While Rabbitte holds no grudges against the current leadership of Siptu . . . the union's president, Jack O'Connor, sits on the Labour national executive . . . it remains an issue for the Labour leader. And while the unions have traditionally been allied to the Labour Party, the reality is that they have secured far more concessions from a Fianna Fail-led government.

The series of national agreements between the government, unions and employers has been pivotal in securing the unions' strong influence at the cabinet table and their close association with Fianna Fail, most particularly with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

With the election months away, Labour and Fine Gael's criticism of the unions and partnership is also seen as an attempt by the opposition parties to attack Ahern and Fianna Fail, with the unions suffering collateral damage in the process.

Speaking at the 'Industrial Relations News' conference in UCD two weeks ago, Fine Gael's Richard Bruton said that the partnership process had "sidelined the Oireachtas".

Bruton also said that partnership . . . which marks its 20th anniversary later this year . . . had "slowed down strategic reform in key areas such as health, childcare and public utilities".

"Too much falls between the crevices in the present social partnership model, " he added.

But Peter McLoone, president of Ictu, said that he would "shudder to think" how such major disputes as Gama and Irish Ferries would have played out if the partnership process hadn't been there to resolve them. "If Bruton had more exposure to how partnership works, he might have a different view, " said McLoone.

But it is still Rabbitte's comments that are the main cause for concern.

And it is not the first time relations between the unions and Labour in particular have soured. Some time back, Rabbitte caused a stir when he sought to reduce the number of jobs at Labour Party HQ . . . one of whom was a Siptu member.

Previously, in 2003, it was the turn of the Labour Party to feel aggrieved when Siptu decided to review its "historical" relationship with the Labour Party and in particular the ongoing financial contributions it makes to the party.

Siptu levies 63c on each of its members for the political fund, though members can opt out. In 2003, the fund totalled over 130,000, of which 52,000 went to the Labour Party with the remainder spent on various union political campaigns.

The Siptu report into the link with Labour concluded that, while the majority of members voted for "other parties", most members recognised that Labour has "a core policy position which is most akin to that of the union".

The union opted to continue the link, and the contribution, but added that any candidate standing for Labour or any other left-wing party seeking funds must sign up to a Siptu 'Charter of Values'.