Trade union activists have held a rally outside Hull’s Paragon Interchange in support of ongoing industrial action against operator Hull Trains. Workers have been on strike for 73 days in solidarity with a worker who they claim was unfairly sacked by the company – Hull Trains, however, refute these claims.
ASLEF, the train drivers union, claims the driver was sacked after raising safety concerns regarding fatigue levels. However, LDRS understands the dispute with the firm involves the driver’s own failure to report previous incidences of fatigue in line with company safety protocols, and that this had happened on more than one occasion. As a result, the company said they believe the individual posed an unacceptable safety risk.
After holding a number of smaller pickets in Hull, on Friday, August 29, critics of the sacking were joined by representatives from various other unions in staging a mass picket outside the station. Speaking at the event, ASLEF’s General Secretary, Mick Whelan, said he was “humbled” by the turnout, adding: “Workers are at the heart of what we do. In every family people go to work and we hope that they return home safely.”
Mr Whelan claims that the driver had made no errors and has a “perfect driving record.” He told those gathered: “We will stand and fight with our colleagues at Hull Trains until we get our comrade reinstated.”
Also speaking at the event, Nigel Roebuck, Officer at ASLEF, said he was “quite overwhelmed by the attendance,” before adding that the workers had been striking for “justice for a colleague who’s had his career taken away from him and blacklisted for a comment he made at work.” Mr Roebuck added: “There’s a clear message to Hull Trains, if you want to sort it out, get round the table.”
ASLEF recently announced that its members had voted in favour of extending the strike against Hull Trains. However, the mandate was not overwhelming with just 53% of members voting in favour of the strikes continuing.
A spokesperson for Hull Trains, said:“We have been operating a full timetable for a number of weeks and are committed to continuing to support our customers. Hull Trains follows highly regulated industry standard agreements and procedures for safety which is always our main priority.
“We have made a number of proposals for a resolution of this matter with ASLEF. We remain committed to open dialogue to resolve this situation and help offer our customers greater confidence.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
