The Manufacturing Science and Finance Union's demand for new anti-bullying measures came as it emerged that a senior official from another union was being taken to an employment tribunal by a former secretary alleging victimisation.

John Edmonds: Facing an employment tribunal

John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB union, said he could not respond in detail to claims being made by mother-of-two Elaine Wright, 36, because of the tribunal, due to be held in January.

But a statement from the union said that in recent months, Mr Edmonds, his friends and colleagues had been the subject of a "concerted campaign of smears and innuendo".

The union said allegations had been rehashed to embarrass Mr Edmonds ahead of the TUC Congress, which opens in Brighton on Monday.

The GMB said it "fervently denied and will vigorously contest" the allegations by Ms Wright, of Fetcham in Surrey.

Bullying protest

In a separate case, 10 GMB workers in the West Midlands have made allegations of bullying against a regional officer and plan to demonstrate outside the TUC Congress with paper bags over their heads to protect their identities.

Talks were unexpectedly set up on Sunday between the GMB and the MSF, which represents the staff, to discuss the allegations.

MSF regional officer Mike Robinson said he wanted the GMB to accept that its procedures for dealing with complaints about bullying were defective.

A statement issued by union representatives of staff at the GMB's London head office said there was no culture of bullying or intimidation in the union.

'Cancer in the workplace'

The MSF call for a new law to protect workers from bullying follows recent surveys showing it is becoming a significant problem in the workplace.

MSF general secretary Roger Lyons said that without statutory protection, many workers would be afraid to claim new rights such as parental leave and time off for family emergencies.

"The bullying that goes on in the workplace is a cancer, spreading its tentacles across offices throughout the country," he said.

The MSF will launch an anti-bullying campaign in factories and offices throughout the UK this week after a telephone helpline in the summer received hundreds of calls from union members who suffer at the hands of bullying bosses, often forced to work long hours.

The union is proposing a Dignity at Work Bill which sets out statutory procedures to protect workers from bullying, harassment and intimidation.