KEY POINTS:
If you break down or lock your keys in the car this Christmas, be prepared for frustrating waits as AA roadservice workers go on strike.
The average wait for an AA roadside technician is about 40 minutes but with the AA bringing in contractors during the strike, motorists could have to wait up to 60 minutes.
The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union members of the Automobile Association walked off the job at 11am yesterday.
After four weeks of negotiations the AA refused to keep the extra week of annual leave all AA roadside technicians get after six years of service.
The changes to the Holidays Act last year moved the minimum annual leave entitlement for all workers from three weeks to four.
Roadservice officers at present receive five weeks' leave per year and the EPMU wants an additional week which the AA has rejected.
Union members also want a 5 per cent pay increase and pay parity across all regions. They have rejected at 3.6 per cent wage increase offered by the AA provided the union withdrew the additional week's leave claim.
Initial reports said the strike was a first in the organisation's 105-year history but the AA claims there was brief industrial action in the early 1990s.
Communications manger Simon Lambourne said about 130 roadside technicians were striking out of 160 nationwide and 23 vehicle inspectors out of 120 were also on strike.
"We apologise for the delay. If you break down we will get to you, it just might take a bit longer.
"Contingency plans are in place and skeleton roadservice crews will be operating. Members are likely to experience some delays, especially in the major centres such as Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
"Vehicle inspections may also be affected during this time, but to a lesser extent."
He said the strike was disappointing but the AA hoped to return to the negotiating table soon.
The AA is confident that it is paying in the upper quartile for motor trades, Mr Lambourne said.
Roadside technician Jim Doody, whom the Herald visited at the Westgate branch, said the strike was scheduled to carry on indefinitely.
"Our contracts came up for renewal in October. We tried to negotiate and it's dragged on so long that now it's Christmas.
"We're like New York city policemen, we're always on duty, looking for hazard lights. Even in my own car I have to pull over and see if there's anything I can do to help.
"There's a lot of talk that what we do is easy, if it looks easy that's because we make it look easy. We bring a lot of skill to the job."
Pay parity across the country was a major issue, Mr Doody said.
"There's an inconsistency. Our counterparts in, say, Christchurch, do the same job as us up here and it gets pretty cold going out and doing jobs down there. But they're earning $2 less than I do."
EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said AA's failure to recognise longstanding staff was short-sighted.
"The AA needs to realise its reputation as a reliable New Zealand institution is largely due to the experience of its longstanding staff and it needs to reward them for their loyalty."
He said AA had a responsibility to its members to make sure they had the best service possible and needed to ensure it did not lose experienced staff.
Striking workers will picket outside the AA Towers on Albert St in Auckland from 7.30am today.
