More bus strikes could be on the way if bus companies continue to push back against demands for better wages and conditions, unions say.
Yesterday's strike saw traffic come to a standstill in some parts of the city, but with many people planning ahead and using alternative forms of transport, traffic chaos was short lived.
About 5000 bus services were cancelled when 70 per cent of Auckland's bus network was effectively shut down by more than 1200 drivers striking for better working conditions and pay from companies NZ Bus and Howick & Eastern.
Tramways Union organiser Gary Froggatt said the organisation's 1100 members were unhappy about the strike, but it was sending a message to the NZ Bus and Auckland Transport that conditions in the workplace weren't good. "I think that message has got through to the company and to AT. I understand there is going to be some negotiations next week."
A round of stopwork meetings beginning on Monday will cause disruptions again, and Mr Froggatt did not rule out subsequent strikes.