Bus strike set to hit commuters

Auckland bus drivers bargaining over pay and work hours were due to strike at rush hour this morning, potentially affecting thousands of commuters.

It is the latest strike action in an ongoing dispute between the drivers and NZ Bus, and was to take place at the Panmure and Auckland City depots from 4am to 7am.

All services to be affected were not known yesterday. Similar strikes could take place next week.

Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said the action comes after a breakdown in mediation sessions last week and on Wednesday with NZ Bus.

“Unfortunately the company has not come back to us with anything new.”

NZ Bus had offered 68 cents to take the hourly pay rate to $22.75, the unions say. Among the changes sought, was a further 25c to take the hourly rate to $23.

NZ Bus has previously said it has offered to increase drivers’ hourly rates up to $24 by January 2022 — an increase of more than 8 per cent.

Froggatt said drivers also work shifts of up to 14 hours with four unpaid hours in the middle of the shift.

The union wants unpaid hours cut to three at most, and an added half hour paid time off.

The company was also starting to make drivers work full 14-hour shifts which, with travel times factored in, often only gave the drivers sevenhour turnarounds between shifts.

“It is just too long.”