Commuters and shoppers face disruption from tube driver strikes in run-up to Christmas

RMT union calls eight 24-hour strikes on London Underground in opposition to plans for four-day week

Tube train drivers in the RMT union have called eight 24-hour strikes running over 16 days – including six in the lead-up to Christmas – that threaten to bring transport chaos to the capital.

The drivers will start another series of 24-hour strikes in late November in opposition to plans for a four-day week – a proposal that has been warmly welcomed by the majority of London Underground drivers represented by the Aslef union.

Disruption could mean few tube trains over the last shopping weekend before Christmas, with strikes running from noon on Thursday 17 December and again on Saturday 19 December.