Wellington rail workers to strike again to keep employment conditions

Wellington commuters should prepare for rail disruption tomorrow. Photo / File

The Wellington rail network is to be disrupted again after workers voted to strike - the second action in two weeks.

Workers will strike tomorrow from 2am until midnight.

Workers say they are striking because they were treated unfairly by their employers, multinational companies Transdev and Hyundai Rotem, in bargaining a collective agreement.

"Despite going into mediated bargaining, there's been no meaningful change from Transdev and Hyundai," says Wayne Butson, rail and marine transport union advocate.

"This is unacceptable to the people who go to work every day to make Wellington's rail network run. So they're taking the only action they can."

The first strike, for two hours on November 16, was the first to hit the Wellington rail system for 20 years.

Butson says that despite the issues created by the strikes, workers have received tremendous support.

"Rail workers regret the issues this causes commuters.

"But we know they understand it's not good enough for our councils and mayors to contract out important public services to multinational companies who want to make a profit by squeezing down on ordinary Kiwi workers.

"We would be happy to accept Transdev's offer of a 2 per cent pay rise over a 12-month term if current terms and conditions are rolled over – that means not taking away weekend rates and allowances.

"The ball is in Transdev and Hyundai's court. They can either come back to the table with a reasonable offer and a more constructive attitude, or they can bear the responsibility for continuing disruption to Wellington's rail services leading up to Christmas."