Bus co, drivers back in talks

Auckland bus drivers and their bosses will resume negotiations tomorrow after trying for two hours to resolve their wage dispute this afternoon.

NZ Bus and delegates of four unions representing 900 bus drivers began mediation about 3pm today after the drivers rejected a pay offer last week.

That offer had narrowly averted a chaotic Wednesday for Auckland travellers last week, when NZ Bus said it would lock drivers out completely.

This came after the union proposed a "work to rule" form of industrial action by which they would stick to the manual and not do anything extra.

Union spokesman Karl Andersen said today the negotiations would resume at 10am tomorrow.

"We made just enough progress to come back tomorrow. That's about all," he told NZPA.

"We will know where we are going by about lunchtime tomorrow."

The company operates Metrolink, Go West, Waka Pacific, North Star, Link and City Circuit buses which carry about 80,000 commuters a day.

The drivers rejected an offer which the company said was 10.4 per cent over three years.

Mr Andersen said the rejection of the pay offer last week was "overwhelming".

The company accused the drivers of being out of touch with economic reality.

- NZPA