Union chief Sharon Graham called for Sir Keir Starmer to “pull back” from axing winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.
The Unite boss issued the demand ahead of a vote on the controversial step at Labour’s annual rally in Liverpool.
Opponents of the decision to restrict winter fuel payments, so only those on pension credit get it, staged a noisy protest against it in the conference complex before the vote.
Ms Graham said: “The Government need to pull back from what they are doing on the winter fuel allowance.
“They are picking the pockets of pensioners when they should not be doing that.
“They need to reverse.”
She argued that it was “disrespectful” for the vote to be taking place after Sir Keir has left the conference to fly to New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
Shouts of “save the winter fuel” could be heard in the Labour Party conference hall in Liverpool ahead of a vote on the issue.
The protest took place at the Unite stand in the venue.
Unite and the Communication Workers Union have put forward a motion to debate the policy and push for its reversal.
Sir Keir said in his conference speech on Tuesday that he understood concern over the winter fuel allowance.
But he stressed that stabilising the economy was the first step of a long-term plan, adding: “Every pensioner will be better off with Labour.”
The Government argues that the move is needed as part of a plan to fix an alleged £22 billion black hole in the public finances, a claim refuted by the Tories.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also warned of more “tough” choices on further public spending cuts and tax rises in the October 30 Budget but denies that there will be a return to austerity.
From this autumn, older people in England and Wales not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will not get winter fuel payments, worth between £100 and £300.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said the union will continue to campaign for the policy to change.
“We don’t accept it is good economics,” he said.
The motion being debated says that workers and communities voted for change, “not cuts to the winter fuel allowance”.
“We need a vision where pensioners are not the first to face a new wave of cuts and those that profited from decades of deregulation finally help to rebuild Britain,” it says.
The motion calls for means testing of the winter fuel allowance to be reversed and for an end to fiscal rules which prevent borrowing to invest, as well as the introduction of a wealth tax.
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