Strike shuts London Tube on Boxing Day

upi ^ | Dec. 26, 2010

[JoeProBono]

LONDON, Dec. 26 - A strike protesting having to work on the day after Christmas has shut London's subways, the union says.

Steve Grant of the drivers' union Aslef told the BBC, "It's been 100 percent solid from our members."

The union was demanding triple pay and a day off for working on Sunday.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said, "The demands being made by the leadership of Aslef are monstrous. It has been clear ever since the Gregorian calendar was reformed in the mid-18th century that Boxing Day 2010 would fall on a Sunday. So why do they demand more money with three weeks to go?"

London Underground said it would run as many trains as possible, along with 700 bus routes and some river runs.

The railroad's managing director, Mike Brown, said: "The union leadership has shown complete disdain for all who want to visit family and friends or hunt a good bargain during what is one of the busiest shopping days of the year."

In 1996, Aslef agreed to consider Boxing Day a normal working day in return for higher pay and longer holidays. But it said increased service on bank holidays meant drivers now had to work more holidays.

[JoeProBono]

Boxing Day is so called because on this day it was the customary for tradesmen to collect their Christmas boxes or gifts in return for good service throughout the year. Also, it included giving money and other gifts to charitable institutions, and the needy.

The holiday may date from as early as the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is not known. It may have begun with the Lords and Ladies of England, who gave Christmas boxes/gifts to their servants on December 26, or maybe by priests, who opened the church's alms (charity boxes), and distributed the contents to the poor and needy.

[JoeProBono]

[EveningStar]

Happy Boxing Day!

[Ditter]

Thanks for the explanation, I was just going to ask! I didn't think it had anything to do with fighting but I wasn't sure.