PICKETS were in action at northern railway stations yesterday as rail workers walked out for 24 hours over the unfair sacking of a union member.

The dispute involves members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) working for Trans-Pennine Express.

The union member was sacked over an alleged misdemeanour at Grimsby station involving a youth attempting to “surf” the train as it set off, hanging on to a door and balancing on an external footplate.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “It is disgraceful that strenuous efforts by the union in the avoidance of disputes meeting to right this blatant injustice have been thrown back in our faces and that our member now faces poverty and the dole queue despite blatantly obvious extenuating circumstances.”

The strike was the first of four 24-hour stoppages planned this month. More will take place on June 14, 21 and 28.