“Trust has been broken,” says a senior Labor party source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. “Unions don’t believe this government has been focused on working people because they haven’t been.”

Labor insiders say tension between the industrial and parliamentary wings of the movement is nothing new and when appropriately managed, it can lead to policy change and better ideas.

“That has thoroughly broken down,” said one senior Labor source. “It’s been broken to such an extent that unions are now left with no option but to pursue their member interests at the exclusion of our political interests.”

One senior Labor source was more direct. He told colleagues criticising unions to stop doing so.

“This is a problem within our movement,” they say. “Anyone who say unions should subjugate their members’ interests to us as the political wing of the movement should not earn positions of authority.”

“We are absolutely not campaigning for Labor,” says Lucy Honan, a state councillor with the Australian Education Union in Melbourne. “I can’t even describe to you the sense of anger we have. It’s desperation and anger.”

The Health and Community Services Union, meanwhile, has eight members running this election – none for the Labor party it is affiliated with. Its secretary, Paul Healey, has signed off on flyers encouraging members to support the Greens and Socialist candidates.