One more for the road...

From the International Herald Tribune:

"A labor (sic, bloody Americans) court on Wednesday barred German train drivers from striking on Thursday because of concerns the threatened walkout could damage the economy...The court based its ruling on concerns the strike could cause damage to the economy, coming at the height of Germany's tourist season".

As someone who plans to be in Berlin by the weekend, I'm proud to have played my part in ensuring that German workers are denied their right to strike. I don't know what the court was playing at, really; as the union said, the economy is hardly likely to more damaged during the holiday period, when many workers are on holiday and production is lessened, than at any other time. Anyway, all strikes will have economic reprecussions; that's why they work. Happy as I am not to be stranded in the Netherlands, I don't think much of a legal system that puts the convenience of tourists ahead of its own citizens' rights.