THE organisers behind the Olympics are confident that the Games will not be affected by possible union strikes.

The leader of Britain’s biggest union Unite, Len McCluskey, said in February that industrial action could be timed to disrupt this year’s Games in London.

However the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Jeremy Hunt said he believed the public’s backing of the Games would make it difficult for such moves to be carried out.

“We are a free country and a democratic country and people have a right to strike,” said Mr Hunt.

“But I am very confident union leaders will understand that the vast majority of their members, and the overwhelming majority of the public, do not want the Olympic Games in any way held back or disrupted by strike action.

“I’m confident in the end they will want to do the right thing.”

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said union members had contributed significantly to the Olympics.

Deighton said: “We have excellent relationships with the TUC so if we reflect on our own experience we should be paying tribute to the unions and the workers for their contribution.”