A Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister has warned he will not tolerate a Government-backed inquiry into the conduct of industrial disputes being used for "union-bashing".
David Cameron ordered the independent review into the tactics used by the unions in the wake of the bitter dispute which almost led to the closure of the petrochemical plant at the Grangemouth oil refinery in Scotland, amid accusations of bullying and intimidation.
Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable has already made clear he only agreed to the inquiry, headed by the industrial relations lawyer Bruce Carr QC, on the basis that it would also examine the practices of employers as well.
This was echoed by his party colleague Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in a further sign of strain with their Conservative coalition partners.
And he indicated that the Lib Dems will only agree to any recommendations to change the law if they were convinced they would lead to an improvement in industrial relations.
Striking a conciliatory note, Mr Alexander pointed out that industrial relations had been "reasonably benign" despite cuts to public spending.
He told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: "What this review is going to look at is not just unions, but employers too.
"It's right to say that in circumstances where there have been various reports of tactics that are underhand being used in those industrial disputes, that we should have an independent review.
"We should look at both sides, employer and employee, at what's been going on and take a view."
He added: "If there are measured, sensible, prudent reforms that could help to improve the industrial relations landscape in this country yet further, I'd be up for that.
"What I'm not up for is a bunch of union-bashing."
The review follows claims the Unite union adopted so-called "leveraged" tactics in an attempt to intimidate executives from Ineos, the refinery's owners, including sending "mobs" of demonstrators to protest outside their homes.
The move follows the dispute at Grangemouth The Conservative Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, also interviewed on Murnaghan, acknowledged that industrial relations in the UK were generally good, but said that key facilities like Grangemouth had to be protected.
"At Grangemouth we were talking about the energy supplies to much of Scotland. This is part of Britain's critical national infrastructure so we can't be relaxed about that," he said.
"It is a balanced and impartial inquiry looking into what goes on in industrial disputes to see whether the law is adequate.
"This is not saying that everything is wrong. It is saying there's been some evidence provided, some allegations made and so-called leveraged practices which involve in some cases quite unpleasant examples of intimidation against fellow workers and against management. That's not acceptable.
"We need first of all to establish the facts and then to see whether the law needs changing."
But Sarah Veale, TUC head of employment rights, dismissed the inquiry, insisting that it was clearly "politically driven".
"It is a completely disproportionate response to one or two instances. It is really quite disgraceful that the Government is pretending that there is a real public interest concern here. There isn't," she told Sky News.
She also defended Unite's tactics in the Grangemouth dispute - including reportedly sending demonstrators brandishing a large inflatable rat to protest outside the home of one Ineos executive.
"There is a long-established tradition in a civilised democracy like the UK that people can express their views in a peaceful, law-abiding way. That's what the union is doing," she said.
"They are simply disseminating information. Intimidation is a ridiculous word to use. I wouldn't be intimidated by being given a leaflet or by people standing with a large plastic rat near to my house."
Ministers have said they want Mr Carr - who will sit with two assessors, one representing the employers and one from the unions - to complete his report within six months of starting.
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