Bus company taking pay dispute to ERA

Photo / Paul Estcourt

The bus company embroiled in a pay dispute with its drivers and cleaners is taking the matter to the Employment Relations Authority.

Thousands of Auckland bus users could still be disrupted by industrial action if a deal cannot be struck.

The two sides met yesterday before the company said it would need time to consider a revised proposal put forward by the unions.

The company was due to meet with union representatives tomorrow but instead, NZ Bus general manager Zane Fulljames announced today that it would be seeking the help of the authority.

"The Unions claims are increasing, and after four months of negotiation the gap is widening. Our customers are dealing with this ongoing uncertainty. We have a responsibility to provide them with clarity," Mr Fulljames said.

He said the unions' had previously been asking for a pay rise of 70 cents an hour but are now asking for $1 an hour.

National Distribution Union spokesman Karl Anderson said yesterday that it was "promising" that the two sides are still talking.

Mr Andersen has so far not returned phone calls this morning.

The unions have previously rejected a pay rise offer of 10.4 per cent over three years by NZ Bus on Friday with almost 98 per cent of drivers and cleaners voting against the offer.

The offer would have seen drivers with nine months experience on $16.75 an hour - which covers 90 per cent of the drivers - receive an 11 per cent increase over three years. Drivers with less experience were to receive a slightly higher pay rise of up to 13 per cent.

The offer narrowly averted chaos for Auckland commuters last Wednesday after 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.

Last Friday Mr Andersen said he told nzherald.co.nz that strike action was likely because NZ Bus would not present a revised offer.

NZ Bus operates Metrolink, Go West, Waka Pacific, North Star, Link and City Circuit buses which carry 80,000 passengers a day.

- NZ HERALD STAFF