Bus strikes suspended while talks continue

Bus drivers in Auckland have suspended industrial action while pay talks continue.

The Stagecoach bus company announced on Friday afternoon that it had been agreed there would be no further action while the talks are ongoing.

However, the company and its drivers remain in dispute over pay.

Earlier, combined union advocate Gary Froggatt had said the two parties had a number of meetings since Monday's strike, but without success.

He said then that unless something drastic happened over the weekend, rolling strikes would take place from Monday.

These were due to be on a depot-by-depot basis, on a 24 hour rotation, so that only one area will be without services at any one time.

The first area to suffer the strike would be Roskill/Swanson, followed by the North Shore and Orewa on Tuesday, Wiri and Papakura on Wednesday and Auckland city and Panmure on Thursday.

However, a statement from Stagecoach later announced the suspension and said the union would give three days' notice of any further action.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF, NEWSTALK ZB