Mark Steel: Union bosses should watch more sport

The first motion at this year's TUC Conference should be to watch more sport. Because they need to learn how to make more impact than the amount made by Brendan Barber, the retiring General Secretary, which is none at all. This takes some effort, as he's been the leader of millions of trade unionists, on radio and TV every week, but still hardly anyone knows who he is. If there was a question in a pub quiz that went "Here's a clip of Brendan Barber saying 'I'm Brendan Barber, and I've just retired as General Secretary of the TUC'. Who's just retired as General Secretary of the TUC?" most people would say "It's completely slipped my mind."

It's as if they're terrified of anyone noticing them. And so, in a year in which vast cuts are imposed on people who have the least, by people who have the most, and the Chancellor imposing them is so unpopular he's booed at the Paralympics, the TUC called hardly any noticeable protest at all.

If they did you'd expect them to say "We have decided to oppose the Government's economic policy, but so as not to disrupt everyday life we are holding the protest at 4am, when we hope millions will join us in a 15-minute 'Dream of action', during which our members will dream that Mr Osborne reverses some of his damaging policies."

But they should be proud of themselves. Because when seemingly powerless people stick together they can defend themselves against the powerful. You can't resist the powerful by trying to win them over and being nice to them. And they'd see that if they watched the tennis. For years Andy Murray played like a union leader, almost apologising for his immense ability,. This year he's overcome that to believe in himself with magnificent effect.

So the union leaders should copy a player each. Frances O'Grady, the new General Secretary can be Murray, swearing at herself for calling a demonstration on the wrong date, but finally stopping the Government's cuts before announcing "I'm quite pleased I suppose. Thank you all for coming."