When the General Workers' Union changed its logo, some people may have thought it was on its way to start changing its tactics too. But they were very well mistaken as Sunday's protest in Valletta, in which it took part together with a number of other unions, showed in no uncertain manner.

Not only did it not change its tactics but it all seemed that its general secretary, Tony Zarb, was taking his union back in time when political bluster, threats and bullying were the order of the day. His speech was inflammatory and brought shivers down the spine of all those who may have listened to excerpts of it on television.

In a clear bid to put pressure on Nationalist MPs to vote for an opposition motion calling for the revocation of the new utility tariffs, Mr Zarb decided to interpret a vote against the motion as betrayal of the people and held those voting against responsible for their actions. The protest walk may have been "decent and peaceful", as one union leader put it, but the tone and language used by the GWU general secretary were not. In fact, Mr Zarb sent the wrong message to those who believed the time for such antics were long over.

The other unions taking part in the protest were completely overshadowed by the GWU and it would be interesting to find out now how many of their leaders and, more importantly, their members concurred with the threatening language used. The Għaqda Unions Maltin condemned the insults hurled at the Prime Minister and Nationalist MPs on Monday but it should have known that the protest was bound to be turned into a political manifestation.

Besides all this, the protest has also done great harm to the trade union movement, already split with the sharper division between the GWU and the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin and the departure of the Malta Union of Teachers from the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions. The rift has now widened even further, a matter that goes against the interest of the unionised labour force. But what is most sad is the unedifying manner in which the unions have attacked each other.

Since the GWU is Labour's strongest ally, or privileged partner, Labour leader Joseph Muscat has a gargantuan problem on his hands now: how to make the growing legion of uncommitted voters believe in his talk that he is out to introduce a new way of doing politics. Dr Muscat's problem is even greater as he is making it a point of talking about the transformation of his party into a movement eager to draw into its fold what he calls the moderates and progressives. Where, exactly, would those who fall into these categories stand now? That is why The Times said in one of its leaders last week that the biggest loser in all this is the Labour Party. The union is dragging Labour into the past with it.

The way Labour has tackled this issue, its support to the GWU in the protest and the kind of arguments used in the debate in Parliament have exposed the flimsiness and fragility of its thinking, making it appear unprepared as yet to take over responsibility for the country's administration. For, if the government were to follow its advice, the country would be saddled with a wider deficit and a higher, not lower, national debt. This would go against the direct interest of all.