Bus drivers dispute set to cause chaos on Thursday

File photo / Supplied

Hundreds of Auckland buses could be late as bus drivers work-to-rule on Thursday, taking their time to check for lost property and not driving buses with defects.

Combined union spokesman Karl Andersen said drivers will be following the company's handbook to the letter.

The bus driver unions and bus company NZ Bus have been in talks for months now.

The unions have issued a notice of industrial action today, indicating that their drivers will work-to-rule on Thursday.

However, just how the bus company will react is still up in the air. NZ Bus manager of operations Zane Fulljames said the company is "considering its options".

Asked if their options include issuing a lock out notice to its 900 drivers, Mr Fulljames did not rule it out.

That would have caused chaos to 80,000 Aucklanders who ride NZ Bus services everyday, including Metrolink, North Star, Go West, Waka Pacific, LINK and City Circuit routes.

The disruptions were averted when the company revised its pay offer. However, the pay offer was rejected when it was put to the vote by almost 98 per cent of drivers.

He said the notice issued by the union contained "specific content" that the company would need time to consider.

Mr Andersen said he was unsure if the work-to-rule decision would result in a lock out notice from the company.

"I'm not sure whether they have their finger on the trigger this time," Mr Andersen said.

Mr Fulljames said the unions have been talking to the media but for the last week they have not been communicating with his company.

"This is impacting our customers' confidence in the public transport services we provide. Confidence and reliability are critical factors in winning people over to public transport and retaining them as customers," Mr Fulljames said.

He said the bus company has gone to the Employment Relations Authority for facilitated negotiations and will now ask for the hearing to take place with urgency.

"We are bemused by the Unions desire to initiate industrial action when the option of resolving the issue responsibly in facilitation exists," Mr Fulljames said.

He said NZ Bus have made an improved offer of 4.2 per cent, 3.0 per cent and 3.3 per cent over the next three years.

However, Mr Andersen said looking at a pay rise in percentages is academic because the base pay-rate is so low.

Mr Andersen said drivers start on $14.05 an hour.

"You could put 20 per cent on that and it still would not be enough. If it was a chief executive's salary, it would be fine but it is not," he said.

It is not known if NZ Bus intends to issue a lock-out notice. Mr Fulljames said the company is taking its time to consider the union's announcement to work-to-rule.

"We advise our customers to start thinking about alternate ways to get to work from Thursday," Mr Fulljames said.

In accordance with the work-to-rule notice drivers will not:

Sign on to commence a shift of work earlier than required.

Adhere to the media communication policy as it is prescribed in the NZ Bus Operator reference handbook dated March 2008 and will speak to the media without specific authority of the board of directors.

Drive any bus which is without a working radio telephone.

Drive any bus which is without a current certificate of fitness or a current road user certificate.

Drive any bus which has a safety defect the driver is aware of.

Work call forwards and call backs as defined in the Combined Unions Collective agreement 2007-2009, unless rostered 72 hours prior.

Drivers will:

At the commencement of their shift, carry out full pre-shift bus checks as described on the defect card supplied with each bus.

Spend 5 minutes at the end of every time-tabled trip carrying out full terminal duties including lost property checks, using toilet facilities if required by the driver or service person operator, performing stretching exercises and preparing the bus for the return journey.

If there are no toilet facilities available at any terminal at the time a driver or service person operator requires them, then he or she will comply with the policy as it is prescribed in the NZ Bus Operator Reference Handbook March 2008 at clause 9.12

Keep to all lawful speed limits.