This year's TUC Congress will take place on the eve of fresh announcements on the government's plans for changes in pension rights for public sector workers.
And while the TUC's influence has been eroded by the declining numbers and proportion of union members, it seems that pensions is just the most prominent of the issues on this year's agenda could generate some more radical policies than previous years.
Earlier this year threats of coordinated strike action involving UNISON, the civil service union PCS and other public sector unions raised enough concern among senior ministers to force Blair to intervene and instruct John Prescott and other ministers to hold back on controversial plans due to be introduced in April.
The proposals would have increased the standard retirement age for local government and civil service staff from the present 60 to 65, with a corresponding 5year increase in the minimum retirement age.
Although these sectors were the first to face formal attempts to lengthen their working lives, ministers have made it clear that they intend to extend the new retirement age to more than 1 million NHS staff and to other public sector staff, including teachers, lecturers and firefighters.
Blair was keen to prevent anger at these attacks slashing New Labour's votes on May 5: but now the election is out of the way, ministers have made it clear that they plan to force through many of their unpopular changes well ahead of the next election. Autumn talks
The next national-level meeting with the unions to discuss public sector pensions is scheduled for the second half of September, just after the TUC Congress, which seems certain to carry a motion trom UNISON which unusually focuses strongly both on the effectiveness of the threat of industrial action, and on the need to pursue the campaign.
It calls for TUC support and coordination in efforts "to defend and improve the public sector schemes, including through further industrial action if necessary", and to campaign "against any imposed change to pension schemes,
specifically increased pension ages".
A GMB motion calls on
the government to levy tributions to meet the long term gap in pension funds caused by "long-term employer underfunding"
The PCS motion calls for specific moves to ensure that unions work together to defend pension rights, including the publication of common leaflets and petitions, and a national demonstration before the end of the year.
On other issues, the rail union RMT calls for a campaign including a national march, rally and lobby of Parliament to promote a Trade Union Freedom Bill, noting that next year is the centenary of the 1906 Trades Disputes Act which removed trade union liability for damages caused by strike action. Opposing privatisation
UNISON, which donated generously to secure Blair's 3rd term, has now tabled a motion on public services which flies in the face of New Labour policy by opposing "policies of privatisation and marketisation", notably in education and criminal justice "under the false pretext of greater choice.
It also opposes the use of the Private Finance new facilities. A motion from the Society of Radiographers challenges the use of NHS funds to commission private sector X-rays and scans while NHS equipment is standing idle. Academies
The NUT calls for a conference followed by demonstration as part of an ongoing campaign against the spread of New Labour's City Academies.
If the follow through on these and other resolutions which correctly identify issues which are central to New Labour's neoliberal agenda, they can begin to break down their isolation from wider layers of workers young and old and forge campaigning links with communities across the country.
Two dismal decades since the defeat of the miners' strike have confirmed that inaction and grovelling to the employers and Labour leaders delivers nothing but dwindling and demoralised membership for the unions: let's hope that some of the spirit of the Gate Gourmet strikers and the anger of public sector protests over pensions can inspire change of tack by TUC delegates.