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Auckland bus drivers to strike on Mondays

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Auckland bus drivers to strike on Mondays

3News NZ

NZ Bus runs the majority of Auckland's buses

NZ Bus runs the majority of Auckland's buses

Most Auckland bus drivers will begin strike action from September 17 after NZ Bus and two drivers' unions failed to reach agreement.

Mediation between First Union and the Tramways Union, who represent about 900 drivers, and NZ Bus, which runs the majority of Auckland's buses, finished without agreement today, prompting the unions to announce the industrial action.

The drivers will now take strike action every Monday for nine weeks in an effort to get a claim for a $20 per hour pay rate to begin in July 2013 rather than April 2014, Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt says.

"Bus drivers are routinely away from home for 14-hour days to earn an eight-hour wage, due to their split shifts for peak services. It is not at all easy to support themselves and their families in Auckland on the wages that NZ Bus pay," he said.

"This is a very profitable company, who can comfortably afford a better deal for Auckland's bus drivers."

Pay rates covering shifts when drivers have to come in to work on their rostered day off are also at issue.

Mr Froggatt said NZ Bus' offer to pay them time and a quarter compared unfavourably to others in the company who get time and a half.

He said the impasse with NZ Bus was unfortunate given that First Union was able to settle with Auckland's other bus companies much more quickly.

The negotiations come three years after NZ Bus services were seriously interrupted during a contract dispute.

NZN

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Comments

9/01/2013 5:22:33 p.m.

Kay wrote:

$20.00 ? That's a joke! Most of the bus drivers are mean and rude particularly to Asian people. I have witnessed several times how rude they are to them. In addition, other jobs such as working as a community worker get only pay $15.00 an hour, support workers they do a lot for the community. Retailers for instance they get pay a minimum wage $13.50 per hour. Their job involves great customer service, being able to deal with angry customers, merchandising, etc. why bus drivers should get paid more? For driving around? For being grumpy? For not being able to communicate in a good manner to people from different cultures? I think bus association should look for good candidates who would be happy to get a reasonable wage. Bus drivers are asking way too much! Not even qualified people get $20! I just completed my degree. I apply for a job as a community worker, they offer me $15.00. I have to deal with difficulties situation everyday which is not an easy job but I'm enjoy doing it that's why I don't mind getting pay that low. I'm also because I need the money. In some other countries bus drivers get very little money, the lowest wage you can imagine. Personally I believe $15.0-$16.00 it's more than enough. I think some people should get more realistic, with all my respect to bus drivers.

11/09/2012 5:54:04 p.m.

Alex wrote:

$20 per hour could be too vs some job and the minimum hourly pay rate. The bus service has been many recent interruption when the various meetings between Bus Driver/Union and serioud impact to mst of the passanger in the come 10 Mondays.
I still remeber the bad experience of the inconvenience during the bus drive strike in 2009.

5/09/2012 9:26:59 a.m.

Sherryn wrote:

Once again, the bus drivers are holding the passengers to ransom. Nobody forced them to drive buses. There are plenty of people out there who would love a job and wouldn't complain. If there service was better I wouldn't mind, but the drivers are rude, unhelpful, either late or don't even turn up.

4/09/2012 11:22:49 p.m.

katrina wrote:

$20 per hour. That is 3 times more per hour than I get. That is more per hour than some trades get who have been doing apprenticeships and studying. Put it in perspective. This will just push up bus fares for those who can least afford.

4/09/2012 10:02:52 p.m.

alice wrote:

i say, good for them!

4/09/2012 10:00:46 p.m.

Phil wrote:

If you don't like the pay then get some qualifications and get a better job. Im a truckie and my pay isn't great either but i new that when i started the job. 14hr days is standard practice for commercial driving as that is the max hours you can work in a day, why do you think truckies moonlight and run second log books, You'll never get rich driving bus or truck for a living and $20 p/hr is a big ask. do you know how many people there are looking for jobs right now that would quite happily drive a bus for a living...