WASHINGTON — President Bush's decision to roll back several government policies supported by organized labor — including one concerning union dues and politics — drew swift criticism Friday from union officials who said they were never consulted.

        Mr. Bush is preparing four executive orders on separate aspects of labor policy, including one to make it easier for union workers to stop their dues from being used to pay for political activities.

        The others deal with union- management relations on government contracts and in the government's own workplace.

        A White House official said two of the orders restored rules that were put in place during the administration of Mr. Bush's father and revoked by President Clinton.

        The official said the orders would:

        • Require federal contractors to post a notice telling workers they have a right under a 1988 U.S. Supreme Court ruling not to pay portions of their dues that sponsor political activities. Unions are a prime source of money and grass-roots organizing for Democrats.

        • Revoke the “project labor agreement,” which requires contractors in many federally financed projects to be unionized.

        • Dissolve the National Part nership Council, a Clinton organization that sought to get government agencies and unions to resolve their differences.

        • Revoke a Clinton policy of job protection for employees of contractors at federal buildings when the project is awarded to another contractor.

        The White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr. Bush believes union ized and nonunion contractors should compete for federal projects, and that the change could save taxpayers money.

        Edward C. Sullivan, president of the AFL-CIO's building and construction trades department, said Mr. Bush's action banning project labor agreements is illegal.

        “We will be filing suit in federal district court to have it over turned,” he said

        Bobby L. Harnage, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the actions were “hasty and foolhardy,” unsound management and “a giant step backward.”

        Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said Mr. Bush's action “risks a return to a more adversarial-based relationship between labor and management that is costly and unproductive.”

        Mr. Bush could sign the orders as early as today.

Real world must be easier
Laughing all the way to the little bank
Small banks fill void left by takeovers
Microsoft president retiring
GE gets foot in door at Qantas
Understanding the emotions of overspending
Bush plans to revoke Clinton labor initiatives
HIGGINS: Personal finance
Industry notes: Commercial real estate
NYSE members want to know point of decimals
Producers' prices shot up in Jan.
Savvy Strategies
The Sophisticated Investor
Business Digest
Tristate Business Summary
What's the Buzz?