London Underground drivers in the RMT are on strike against Transport for London's attempt to get them to "condense" their current working hours, spread over 5 days, into 4 days. A longer working day for drivers will allow TfL to run trains, including the 24-hour Friday/Saturday service, without taking on more drivers.

    TfL says these shifts would be "voluntary". But that's deliberate deception. They know it would be nigh- impossible to organise the job on this basis. However, they reckon their change will become a "fait accompli", given time. After all, the leaders of ASLEF (the elitist, drivers-only union) have already agreed to it.

    It's a classic case of "divide and rule" promoted by the union leadership! For now, RMT drivers are standing their ground. They know that if you give a finger, you risk losing your arm. Whether they can convince ASLEF drivers (some are members of both unions) to join their struggle remains to be seen. Breaking the division is obviously the most effective way to win. However, that would be up to workers themselves to enforce.

    But what about all the rest of the Underground workers who have to cover long shifts? Is it "beyond the wit" of union leaders to find a way to involve everyone in a strike and stay within the law - since they're so keen never to break it?

    Of course 4-day-weeks and long shifts are already commonplace, including in the car industry: 12hoursX4 (including 12-hr night shifts) were "sold" to workers using the 4-day "weekend" carrot. But since when was that ever safe - or healthy? That union officials colluded with this is unforgivable.

    What's more, tube drivers would do well to remind TfL of the worst ever accident on the tube: on 28 February 1975, a Northern City Line train failed to stop at the end of the line at Moorgate, crashing full-speed into the dead-end concrete wall. The driver and 42 passengers were killed; 74 suffered serious injuries. The official inquiry found no fault with the train. It concluded that the accident was caused by the driver.

    This is why tube train drivers today are highly sensitive over their Ts&Cs and their responsibility to keep their passengers alive. And they are 100% right. At the end of the day driving 9 hours in the dark and at night - even with breaks, cannot be acceptable. Even 8 hours is too long. But of course, taking on the additional number of workers which would allow shifts to be cut to to 4-6 hours, would mean doubling the current workforce. And where, under this capitalist system - public or private - where money rules, would that ever happen? So, let this be a first big success against the turn of the working hours' screw! Up the London tube strikers!