The leader of one of Germany's largest unions, IG Metall, has resigned just weeks after the union's first failed strike in half a century.

Mr Klaus Zwickel said his head was the first - but should not be the last - to roll as a result of the defeat of the strike for a shorter working week in eastern states.

"I expressly do not accept the sole responsibility for the political defeat in the east German metal and electronics industry," said Mr Zwickel (64), who was planning to retire in October.

He said the blame lay squarely with Mr Jürgen Peters, the union's hardline deputy leader.

"I did not create this chaos, but rather those who are not prepared to bear the personal consequences of IG Metall's serious political defeat," said Mr Zwickel.

Mr Peters rejected Mr Zwickel's allegations and said: "I wish that the farewell could have been under better circumstances." He is expected to assume control of the union next month along with Mr Berthold Huber, a regional leader from the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.

However, some observers fear the takeover could further alienate union members with hardline tactics.

Mr Zwickel's resignation brings to an end a bitter leadership struggle that has convulsed the union in recent weeks. The union suffered a bitter defeat during a strike for a 35-hour working week in eastern states, a three-hour cut.

The strike stopped work at BMW and Volkswagen plants but failed to win public sympathy in the economically depressed east. Workers feared the action would deter new investors and push even higher regional unemployment of 19 per cent.

In the end, less than 10 per cent of the workers in the eastern metal and engineering industries supported the strike and the action was called off. The outcome was an unmitigated disaster for IG Metall, the world's largest industrial union representing 2.6 million engineering and auto industry workers.

It also presented the first chink of weakness in the formerly unassailable German union movement.

Germany's unions, in general, find themselves experiencing a crisis of confidence and are haemorrhaging members.

Union membership has plunged by about 35 per cent over the past decade.

Only a quarter of the population still has confidence in unions, according to a recent poll, while one-third of those questioned said they had no confidence whatsoever.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder largely ignored union concerns when formulating proposals to reform the employment market, proving that the unions no longer have the chancellor's ear.