union

The former trade union activist served as Sir Tony Blair’s deputy for 10 years after Labour’s 1997 election landslide.

But it was the Labour leader John Smith who finally gave John Prescott political room to breathe, with a key role in selling modernisation to the party and unions.

Movement forward on the law was stalled for more than a year as contract negotiations between scores of local hotels and Unite Here Local 11, the politically powerful union that represents their workers, were underway.

University officials disputed the union’s allegations, saying in a statement that “we fundamentally disagree with AFSCME’s claims of bad faith bargaining and characterization of unacceptable bargaining proposals.”

It has also offered conductors a new deal to work on Sundays, he said, adding that the leadership of the RMT union will look at the offer before putting it to members for a vote.