Bus pay row goes back to mediation

The dispute between bus drivers and Auckland's largest bus company is heading back to mediation on Monday.

Union spokesman Karl Andersen said the bargaining is "tedious and emotional" but he hopes the dispute with employer NZ Bus will be settled then.

"We've got to the point where we're pointing the finger at each other," Mr Andersen said.

But he said the talks are being mediated and the discussions are "civil".

"No one's yelling at each other," Mr Andersen said.

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

"Our issue is the long hours and the low wages," Mr Andersen said.

He said bus drivers have a 14 hour working day but are only paid for eight hours of work because they work split shifts.

Mr Andersen said that puts stresses on family lives.

"Either they [drivers] lounge around the depot drinking tea and coffee or they go home. But if they go home, they incur more travel costs," he said.

Mr Andersen said strike action is still an option if the dispute cannot be resolved over pay rates.

NZ Bus made an offer to drivers and cleaners two weeks ago which narrowly averted industrial action.

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.

NZ Bus has made a bid to take a formal bargaining request to the Employment Relations Authority.

Mr Andersen said the unions have not yet decided on whether or not they will take part.