Former Rolls Royce convener Jerry Hicks who launched a legal challenge against the joint general secretary of Unite, the UK's biggest union, will be among the candidates for the top job.

He has secured enough branch and workplace nominations to be on the ballot paper for the election of General Secretary Amicus Section scheduled for February and March next year.

Jerry Hicks, who lives in Montpelier, launched a legal challenge after Unite Joint General Secretary Derek Simpson extended his term of office to 2010 when he will be 66.

Mr Simpson got the top job in 2002 after he mounted a successful legal challenge to his predecessor Sir Ken Jackson whose five-year term of office was extended after a union merger.

He argued that Sir Ken had only been elected by the minority former EETPU section of the union.

Mr Hicks, 49, who led a strike at Rolls Royce's Patchway plant in 2005, launched his legal challenge on the same basis.

Now a national election has been called for the top post.

Unite, with 2.1 million members is the most powerful union position in the country. It is the largest single donator to the Labour party, giving £11 million in the past three years.

Mr Hicks said: "The scale of recognition by way of support has without any question or doubt vindicated the decision to challenge Derek Simpson's right to remain in office for eight years without holding an election.

"It also presents us with a fantastic opportunity to not only influence the debate in its breadth and depth, but given the number of nominations received, makes it possible to consider the prospect of even greater things and even dare to dream of winning."

"Over the coming weeks the campaign proper will begin in earnest. We will be rightly and proudly able to say that there is a very clear choice in matters of substance, policy and style - how we relate as a union to the employers, how we rebalance our relationship with the government and how we bridge the gap that has become a chasm between the union and its members."

Mr Hicks was sacked from his job in Rolls Royce in 2005 where he had worked for 30 years and an Industrial Tribunal ruled he had been victimised for his trade union activity.