NBA Players Reject Deal, Plan to Dissolve Union

NBA Players Reject Deal, Plan to Dissolve Union

Rejecting the owners' take-it-or-leave-it labor offer, NBA players decided to dissolve their union in a process that could win them leverage with the filing of an antitrust suit against the league while also threatening to cancel the 2011-12 season. NBA commissioner David Stern warned the players that they would get a worse offer if they didn't accept the current proposal, whereas union officials served the league with a disclaimer of interest. This officially informed Stern of their plans to disband and become a trade organization.

The players had agreed to accept a 50-50 revenue split with the owners, provided they resolved some of the system issues that could limit player movement. "This is the best decision for the players," union president Derek Fisher said. "We not only try to get a deal done for today but for the body of NBA players that will come into this league over the next decade and beyond."

NBA球员拒绝资方条件，计划解散工会

NBA球员拒绝资方霸道的劳工提案，他们决定解散工会，以取得向联盟提出反垄断诉讼的优势，同时也扬言取消 2011-12 赛季。NBA 联盟总裁戴维‧史腾警告球员，如果他们不接受目前的提案，那么日后可能得到更糟的结果，但球员工会官员却给予联盟免责声明。这无疑是正式向史腾告知球员解散工会的打算，而工会将成为一般的商业组织。

　　倘若资方解决一些体制上限制球员在球队去留的问题，球员同意和资方均分收益。球员工会主席德瑞克‧费雪说：『对球员而言，这是最好的决定。我们不仅要为现况、还要为 10 年及更久以后加入联盟的全体 NBA球员做好协议。』

NBA『解散工会』（decertification），而是『工会免责』（disclaimer of interest），由于 2 种策略各有优劣与风险，能否见效有待观察。

解散工会与工会免责都可进入法律诉讼程序，所适用的法源将从原先的劳工法变成反垄断法。在劳工法里，封馆是合理手段，但在反垄断法里，却可能是非法的。采取工会免责也有其风险，联盟可指控工会是『假』免责，实际仍介入劳资纠纷，未来若法院认定是『假免责』，就不能提诉讼。

解散工会须透过球员联署才能生效，生效还需 45 至 60 天，期间球员工会仍可和资方持续谈判，但史腾威胁若解散工会，球员现行合约也将失效，而非只是暂时停效，所以工会才会采免责策略，自行除权，然后可打官司，且不会太激进，并已聘请反垄断法权威律师波伊斯（David Boise）出面，目的并不一定要打官司，而是向资方传达工会不受威胁的立场，劳资还是可和解解除封馆。（资历来源：苹果日报）

London Landmark Big Ben Slightly Askew

The clock tower, Big Ben, has been slightly off-center since it was erected in the mid-19th century, and documents recently published by Britain's Parliament show that the top of its gilded spire is nearly half a meter out of line. The level of movement northward has been less than one millimeter a year since experts began measuring it in the 1970s. Experts said there was no cause for alarm, though. It would take thousands of years before the London landmark's tilt matches that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Mike McCann, who is charged with looking after the tower's clockwork, shrugged off the problem, saying that such imperfections were a fact of life for older buildings. He said Big Ben's lean was very minor although he acknowledged that an eagle-eyed visitor might still be able to spot it.

英国大笨钟变身『伦敦斜塔』？

　　英国伦敦大笨钟钟塔自从 19 世纪中期建立以来就一直略微偏离垂直中心，最近英国国会发表的文件显示，钟塔镀金塔尖的顶端已偏离垂直中轴线将近半公尺。专家从 1970 年代开始测量至今，钟塔向北方偏移的程度每年不超过 1 公厘。不过专家说这无须惊慌。这座伦敦地标倾斜程度要和比塞塔一样的话，可要花上数千年的时间。

　　负责照顾钟塔机械的 Mike McCann 对这个问题毫不在乎，他说这样的缺陷是老旧建筑物的宿命。虽然他承认眼尖的游客可能还是会发现大笨钟的倾斜现象，但他表示倾斜程度是相当微小的。