Trade unions have been accused of fuelling the UK's "compensation culture" as new figures published on Friday show that £14 million was won at employment tribunals for trade union members in 2000.

With tribunal cases up 29 per cent in the last year alone, 95 per cent of union-backed cases are won - the success rate up nearly 20 per cent in just two years - with most, 71 per cent, settling out of court.

The rewards for Britain's increasingly litigious trades unionists are growing too.

The average payout for a sex discrimination claim is now £17,082, much more than twice the £6,905 sum paid out in 1998, with union-backed claims netting eight times the average for all cases (the non-union and union total).

"Unions continue to win for their members and, in many cases, are winning more compensation than ever before. And they're also good negotiators - most say simply bringing a claim drives employers to settle," said TUC general secretary, John Monks on Friday.

With industrial unrest and traditional militancy at historical lows it seems that trade unionists are turning to employment and personal injury lawyers in droves.

Figures released by the TUC last December showed that illness and injury compensation won by the unions topped £320 million.

As union membership and recognition continues to decline - in nearly a half of workplaces there are no union members, and in 32 per cent no structure for employee representation - there is strong evidence to suggest the labour movement is turning to other more consumerist services to retain membership and loyalty.

Figures out last autumn show that over 50 per cent of unions run helplines, bringing in 180,000 calls a year providing legal advice on anything from stress to bullying.

Virtually all unions surveyed by the TUC in 2000 were launching or had launched new services for members, 49 new facilities in all.

The new legal and consumerist focus for the trade unions is not unique following wider trends in the UK as litigation and the "blame culture" become a part of daily British life. And trade unionists are quick to point out that "unions would prefer the number of tribunal claims to go down not up, but the situation won't change until bad bosses start treating their staff fairly".

Susan Anderson, the CBI's director of human resources policy, accuses the TUC of emphasising litigation rather than more traditional forms of workplace conflict resolution.

"We must move away from the idea that opportunistic employees cab get a cash windfall by having a go, regardless of whether there is a genuine cases to answer. It is not helpful for over two thirds of unions to say they can get a result simply by bringing a claim," she said.

Responding to criticism that the TUC is fuelling compensation culture, Sarah Veale, TUC senior employment rights officer said: "The CBI's response to this research seems to be blaming the victims. When people lose limbs, are racially abused or lose their livelihoods, and their employers are at fault, they must be held accountable."