本帖最后由 雅思哥 于 2011-12-26 09:10 编辑
Travellers on London's Underground network face disruption as drivers belonging to the union Aslef stage a 24-hour strike.
The dispute is over the union's demand for extra pay for its members working on the public holiday.
London Underground says it will work to make sure as many services as possible will operate.
The strike is expected to affect shoppers heading for the Boxing Day sales and football fans.
Arsenal have already moved their Premier League game with Wolves to 27 December because of the strike, but Chelsea's game with Fulham goes ahead at Stamford Bridge.
The BBC's Daniel Boettcher says Aslef has argued that choosing to work on Boxing Day should be voluntary and drivers who agree to do so should be paid extra as well as getting a day off in lieu.
London Underground says it has a long-standing agreement with all of its trade unions covering bank holidays and this applies to Boxing Day.
It has described the demand for additional payment as outrageous and last week challenged Aslef's strike ballot in the High Court saying it was unlawful as the vote included drivers who were not rostered to work on Boxing Day.
'Regrettable'
But a High Court judge, Mr Justice Eder, said the disruption caused because of the strike was "regrettable" but the strike was "inevitable".
"I do not consider that the fact that the ballot included persons who would not themselves go on strike renders the ballot held in breach of (legislation)," he added.
Transport for London says the strike is likely to cause significant disruption for passengers trying to get to sporting fixtures, Boxing Day sales or travelling to work.
But it says it is trying to get as many services as possible to run - and will lay on extra buses in busy shopping areas.
If there there is no resolution to this dispute in the New Year, the union plans three more 24-hour strikes in January and February.
Aslef members plan to walk out again on 16 January, 3 February and 13 February over the same issues.
Services were severely disrupted on Boxing Day last year when drivers walked out over the "long-running" dispute.
From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16330372
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