Boxing Day Tube Strike Planned - 12 Days of Tube-Mas - Signs of Xmas on the Tube

Sadly another sign of Christmas on the London Underground is the threat of a strike. This year (as with last year) Aslef haven't let us down and their members have voted in favour of strike action on Boxing Day.

 Boxing Day Strike Action also threatened in 2010 - photo by Martin Deutsch

Aslef said in a statement: "The union balloted its 2,200 Underground drivers and they returned a 92.3% vote in favour of action. The company is currently offering no additional payments for working on Boxing Day. The union says its members require 'substantial incentives' to attend."

Aslef added that further action was scheduled for 16 January, 3 February and 13 February.

London Underground said the vote was not a resounding vote in favour, with only 42% of Aslef's Tube drivers voting for a strike and less than 1,000 members took part in the ballot.

London Underground (LU) claims that Aslef is seeking triple-time pay and an extra day off for members working on Boxing Day. Howard Collins, LU's chief operating officer, said there was a "longstanding" agreement between LU and unions over working on bank holidays.

He added: "It is disgraceful for the Aslef leadership to threaten strike action while we are engaged in continuing discussions on this issue. The threat of strike action will not achieve anything and I urge Aslef to join us in our commitment to resolve this matter through discussions."

Sadly if the action goes ahead, it is likely to bring widespread disruption because the union represents 2,200 out of LU's 3,400 drivers. At the moment the RMT union, which is the second largest driver union at LU, has not balloted its members on the dispute. But one imagines they will support fellow union members and refuse to cross any picket lines.

Update - Boxing Day Tube Strike definitely going ahead for 26th December 2011 as LU's attempt to get High Court to stop it failed.

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ASLEF vote for Boxing Day Strike

London Underground; Tube Posted by annie mole Wednesday, December 14, 2011 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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