High court refuses to halt Boxing Day London tube strike
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A strike by London Underground drivers on Boxing Day will go ahead, threatening disruption for football fans and shoppers, after the high court refused to halt the walkouts.
London Underground (LU) had argued that the Aslef drivers' union broke the law by balloting employees who will not be working on 26 December, but Mr Justice Eder did not grant an injunction against the poll. It was a rare setback for employers, who have been using the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations Act with increasing success in transport disputes and have averted strikes at British Airways and Network Rail over the past two years by arguing that strike votes did not follow strict guidelines.
Mick Whelan, Aslef's general secretary, said: "We are incredibly pleased. We believe this is the right decision." He added: "We are very pleased we have won this case, but we regret that we have spent the last two days in the high court instead of sitting around a negotiating table trying to work out a settlement."
Howard Collins, chief operating officer at LU, said the organisation would consider whether to appeal once the judge revealed the reasons for his verdict later on Thursday afternoon.
full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/22/boxing-day-tube-strike-london
Is it really worth inconveniencing the public for a strike?
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