Sir Ken Jackson, general secretary of the AEEU engineering union and a close friend of the prime minister, is expected to carry on in his post after he reaches the official union retirement age of 65 next spring.

In an unprecedented move, the union's executive intends to propose an emergency motion at the AEEU policy conference, to be held next month, calling for a rule change that would enable Sir Ken to continue for an unspecified period as general secretary.

Nobody on the 36-strong executive opposed the proposal, which was agreed earlier this week, reflecting the widespread support for Sir Ken among union officials and activists. In the past 12 months, he has become - in their eyes - an indispensable and strong leader for the AEEU at a time of rapid change in the trade union movement.

The main reason for the decision to extend his tenure stems from growing concern inside the AEEU about the prospects for its coming merger with MSF, the technicians' union.

Roger Lyons, general secretary of MSF, who will be joint leader of the new union with Sir Ken, continues to face allegations over financial maladministration. This has involved the intervention of the independent Certification Office.

The AEEU officials argue that Sir Ken is needed as a strong joint general secretary of the new union to ensure stability in its formative years. "There is a widely held view that Sir Ken will bring a much-needed authority to the new union and ensure its integrity," said one senior officer yesterday.

The new union, which will become the largest in the Labour party and the second-biggest in the Trades Union Congress, is expected to receive final approval from both the AEEU and MSF conferences early in June. Delegates in the AEEU are unlikely to oppose the rule change over Sir Ken.

In his championing of UK manufacturing industry and partnership agreements with companies, Sir Ken is widely seen as the main moderniser in the trade union movement. At the height of his formidable powers of presentation and analysis, his prolonged period in office will be welcomed on both sides of industry.

Copyright: The Financial Times Limited