Aslef wants its members to be paid triple time and be given a day in lieu London Underground (LU) is taking legal action to try to prevent a strike on Boxing Day by Tube drivers.
Members of train drivers’ union Aslef are planning the 24-hour walkout, after negotiations at conciliation service Acas failed.
Drivers want to be paid triple time, and receive a day in lieu, for working on 26 December.
LU is seeking an injunction against the “completely unnecessary” strike. Aslef said LU’s actions were “disappointing”.
In 1996 the union signed an agreement that it would consider Boxing Day a normal working day in return for higher pay and longer holidays.
But Aslef said that increased Tube services on bank holidays meant drivers now had to work more public holidays than was the case when the agreement was signed.
A TfL spokesman said: “The union has ripped up a long-standing agreement on pay and working hours that gave LU employees increased pay and 6.8 weeks’ holiday, in return for working some public holidays.
“We have tried to resolve this through negotiation, but our offer to reduce the number of drivers rostered to work on Boxing day was flatly rejected.
“This left us no option but to seek a legal solution.”
An Aslef spokesman said: “We are disappointed that, instead of trying to resolve the dispute, LU is taking the legal route.
“But nowadays it seems par for the course to go to the courts rather than sit round the table.”
Aslef drivers will walk out from 0001 GMT on 26 December.
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