Bus lockout could last five or six days

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 8:35a.m.

Commuter chaos could last five or six days in Auckland unless 900 bus drivers and their employer settle a wage dispute.

Up to 80,000 passengers were forced to find alternative ways to get to work today as the drivers were locked out by NZ Bus.

The lockout followed the drivers issuing the company with a work-to-rule notice.

Other bus companies not involved in the dispute provided some buses but could not cope with the number of waiting commuters.

Traffic was heavier on motorways and feeder roads around Auckland and would have been much worse but for school holidays.

The drivers began arriving for work at depots around the city from 4am but were turned away.

Both the drivers and NZ Bus were due to meet later today with the Employment Relations Authority to decide if another mediation process would begin.

However, Gary Froggatt, president of the Tramways Union which represents about 600 of the locked out drivers, said the work-to-rule notice would not be withdrawn until there was a settlement.

He said that could mean no buses for several days unless there was a move from the company because the unions would not back down.

"The drivers have given the unions instruction that we are not to withdraw the work to rule notice unless there is a settlement."

He said that meant the ball was in the company's court.

"They will find it very hard to get the drivers back to work now that they have locked them out."

NZ Bus general manager operations Zane Fulljames said yesterday all Go West, Waka Pacific, Link and City Circuit services would be suspended for the day.

"We apologise sincerely to our customers. This is not a course of action we have taken lightly."

He said the company had made a "very substantive offer" of a 10.5 percent pay increase over three years.

He also accused the unions of having no interest in resolving the issue responsibly.

He said it could be resolved very simply by the unions lifting their notice of strike action.

Mr Froggatt said the drivers were not on strike as a notice of a work to rule was not strike action.

He said the company had offered an increase of $1.80 an hour over three years. The union said it would accept that offer but wanted it paid out in two parts and not three.

Auckland Regional Council said yesterday it may impose a financial penalty on NZ Bus for withdrawing services.

Chairman Mike Lee said it would look to penalise the company for the disruption to the ratepayers because of the subsidies paid to the bus company.

He said on Radio New Zealand today NZ Bus was paid $150,000 a day in subsidies and there had to be "some payback for the disruption they are deliberately calling.

"There is a whole bunch of public money going into that bus company and I imagine it is just a matter of stopping for those days for which services are not provided," Mr Lee said.

NZPA

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