DRIVERS at Hull Trains took strike action on Good Friday in a long-running dispute over the sacking of a colleague.

Members of Aslef walked out for the day today after overwhelmingly voting to take action.

The union says the driver was unfairly sacked after raising a safety issue at a meeting, which the company disputes.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “The company’s failure to act responsibly has enormous implications, not just for rail workers and passengers at Hull Trains, but for staff and passengers right across the wider rail network.

“This is a moral issue because we have a culture on the railway designed to keep everyone safe. 

“Anyone who works on the railway should be able to report a safety concern without fearing they will be penalised, punished, or lose their livelihood. 

“The company has behaved deplorably.”

Aslef’s full-time organiser in the north-east Nigel Roebuck said: “Our member has been driving trains for more than 20 years with a completely clean safety record. 

“The company is punishing and penalising him for something he said, in the context of a safety meeting, not for anything he has done.”

Drivers also staged strike action on three days in March and on April 3 and 7.

A spokesperson for Hull Trains said: “The safety of our customers and colleagues remains our number one priority.

“Aslef have declined two recent offers that we have made for constructive talks and Hull Trains remains open to dialogue.”

Hull Trains previously said it followed highly regulated industry standard agreements and procedures for safety.