Auckland bus drivers plan strike tomorrow, 49 trips to be affected

There will be 49 Go Bus trips affected by the strikes tomorrow between 6.30am and 10am. Photo / Paul Taylor

Some Auckland bus services will be cancelled tomorrow due to strike action.

There will be 49 Go Bus trips affected tomorrow between 6.30am and 10am by industrial action by 60 members of First Union.

The strike is in response to failed negotiations with the company over work conditions, First Union organiser Graham McKean said.

He said the company was making its staff drive over the five-and-a-half-hour time limit with no breaks, and the company's accident rates were too high compared to how many buses it had on the road.

"These revelations are amongst a backdrop of pressures on drivers from a range of companies to drive for long hours with low pay."

Complaints from members include drivers having to work broken or split shifts, a lack of breaks, and a clamp down on pay rates, overtime, and redundancy packages.

First Union is calling for a bus driver industry standard of pay and work conditions such as lifestyle rostering to decrease the pressure on drivers to drive for long periods of time.

"The need for managing overtime hours must also be included in such a standard to manage fatigue," McKean said.

"Drivers are expected to drive for too long with very limited breaks, it is the only industry like it in New Zealand. It's like driving from Auckland to Napier without a single stop, day in day out."

Bus drivers have the right to have a life outside of work, and shouldn't be tired while driving because of work demands," he said.

"Bus companies need to realise they're working with real human beings, not machines, although they're driving what is effectively large machinery with 50-60-odd lives on board."

He said the South Auckland community had been supportive of the strike action.

"Many bus drivers working in Auckland live in the southern suburbs so they're the communities who're being disadvantaged the most. It takes a lot of effort to go on strike, they're angry and so too are their communities, they want their drivers to be treated humanely."

Auckland Transport is advising people to plan ahead, particularly if they are travelling to Auckland Airport, as seven 380 services will be cancelled.

There are 11,000 trips scheduled, and less than 1 per cent will be affected by the strike.

School buses, trains and ferries services are not affected.

Full details of the cancelled services at www.AT.govt.nz/metrochanges