More bus disruption for Aucklanders

Auckland bus passengers face more disruption on Thursday, as Stagecoach drivers hold a stopwork meeting to examine any progress in a pay dispute which has already caused a one-day strike.

The regionwide strike a fortnight ago affected up to 80,000 passengers but a subsequent wave of rolling stoppages was called off to allow a return to pay talks last week.

Notice of a stopwork meeting expected to interrupt most Stagecoach services from 9.30am to 2.30pm on Thursday was not lifted, despite the company's mistaken belief it would receive at least three days' warning of disruption.

A company spokesman said yesterday he hoped a package could be tabled before the meeting for the 1000 unionised drivers to endorse.