The overwhelming (69%) vote for strike action among 2,000 fuel tanker drivers has resulted in an overwhelming bout of hysteria from both government and media!

As soon as the result became known on Monday, the ConDems posted a notice on the "Directgov" website condemning Unite the union and the workers who voted to strike. These workers were "selfish" to "disrupt the lives of millions" in the "Olympics year"!

The notice says members of the public should not start panic-buying and that the government, "If we have to, will use emergency powers... to ensure trained military personnel are available to drive oil tankers"!! One can only hope that these army tankers and their soldier-drivers are a little more fit for purpose than the vehicles and drivers used to try to break (unsuccessfully) firefighters' and ambulance strikes in the past!

The oil tanker drivers who voted to strike are no longer working directly for the stinking rich major oil companies like BP and Shell, but are mostly employed by the oil-majors' many subcontractors - nevertheless supplying fuel to 90% of all petrol stations. Like all contractors, these ones cut health and safety corners to reduce costs, to win their contracts. They force drivers to try to "beat the clock", and induce a "turn and burn" culture to meet ever-shorter delivery deadlines. Some workers have had 6 different pension schemes in 10 years from as many different contractors. Unite wants a collective bargaining forum so that all contractors are forced to respect a bottom line of improved terms and conditions.

Of course, the strike may not happen. But the reaction to this mere threat of action, is a welcome reminder of the power of the working class. It does not take much to send panic waves into the boardrooms of the biggest fish in the capitalist sea. Their loyal lieutenants in Downing Street may have been instructed to come to their rescue, but we will yet see if they can...