Crunch time over NZ Bus drivers’ pay
Days of tense negotiations between bus drivers’ union Tramways and company NZ Bus could come to a head today with a new pay offer being put to drivers.
Tramways secretary Kevin O’Sullivan said he expected an offer to be put on the table, though it was too early to tell whether it would be substantially different to the previous deal rejected 204-2 by drivers in April.
If drivers reject the new offer, it will likely trigger another round of industrial action and more disruption for Wellington commuters.
The two parties met for three days last week, and mediation meetings have continued this week.
The meetings were arranged and facilitated by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and are being run by mediator Hayden Wilson, the chairman of law firm Dentons Kensington Swan, and independent employment lawyer Maria Austen.
‘‘I’m just happy both parties are still in mediation. We’ve got them in a room, and they’re still talking. Compared to where they were, with strike action and a lockout, it’s a very positive sign,’’ regional council chairman Daran Ponter said.
Once a formal offer is made by NZ Bus, drivers will vote on whether to accept the deal at a stop-work meeting, likely scheduled for next week.
‘‘We’ll just have to wait and see what comes out of tomorrow [today],’’ O’Sullivan said.
‘‘The terms and conditions are just as important as money ... We’re not wanting a pay increase, we just want to maintain our current terms and conditions.’’
One Wellington bus driver, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said drivers were sceptical about the offer. ‘‘We’re not convinced much will change from what’s been put on the table. We’ll believe it when we see it,’’ they said.
Another driver said they were feeling incredibly bitter towards the company as negotiations dragged on.
‘‘It’s not a happy place here. This would have to be the worst I’ve ever seen in terms of an employer’s relationship with employees. We’re definitely not happy with what they’ve given us.’’
Next Capital, which bought NZ Bus for $229 million in 2018, has offered drivers an immediate increase to $23.75 per hour, and on to $25 per hour within
two years. This is an increase from the current base rate of $19.29 an hour plus allowances.
It would also allow new hires to take on fulltime hours, which is currently restricted by the collective agreement
‘‘The offer on the table is good for all drivers, not just the drivers who have been employed the longest and enjoy all the benefits of the current deal. It will help solve the driver shortage issues by enabling us to hire fulltime drivers – currently, we can’t,’’ NZ Bus chief executive Jay Zmijewski said last week.
However, the offer also cuts back a number of highly valued penal rates and strips one week of annual leave.
O’Sullivan said the base rate rise didn’t compensate for a big drop in terms and conditions. He estimated the flat rate would have to be around $27 or $28 to make the loss of conditions worth it.
NZ Bus was offered public funds to top up drivers’ pay to the level of the living wage earlier this year, but the company said it would only accept the subsidy if drivers accepted changes to the collective bargaining agreement.
Drivers have been back at work over the last week after the Employment Court ruled in favour of an injunction, lifting the lockout NZ Bus imposed on drivers after a 24-hour strike.
NZ Bus said it would not comment while negotiations were ongoing.