NZ Bus focused on Customers

27 August 2012

NZ Bus focused on Customers

NZ Bus received notice, that Tramways and First Unions will be calling stop work meetings this Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 August to assess their position. “Hopefully this means that common sense prevails and we can work constructively to seek resolution. In the meantime we are working hard to ensure we minimize disruption to our customers and all of our people” said Mr. Darek Koper General Manager - NZ Bus Fleet.

School bus services will not be affected however the stop work meetings may cause some disruption to some scheduled services. At this stage the following services may be impacted:

Wednesday 29 August
No services will be disrupted.

Thursday 30 August
Some LINK services may be affected between 11:30am and 2.30pm. Full details will be available on www.maxx.co.nz from Wednesday 29 August.

It is important to repeat that School bus services will not be impacted.

“It is unfortunate that the action will inevitably impact some customers, but we will exhaust all available resources to ensure we minimize inconvenience to our customers” continued Mr. Koper.

The offer on the table is to increase wages by 6.6% over 27 months in three movements, with the first increase in July of this year.

NZ Bus drivers in Auckland also received a 3.3% increase 5 months ago, only in February of this year.

“We have moved the increase forward 7 months to meet the demands of the union, exceeded the industry ordinary hour pay rates, and in fact our year one offer of $19.14 per hour is greater than that the unions claimed, the union themselves have stated the offer is tantalizingly close” Mr. Koper went on to say.

“Our current offer on the table would see Operators receive $20 per hour for ordinary hours worked by April 2014, which places them at the forefront of hourly rates in Auckland. We are committed to moving real wages forward, but also need to remain competitive and ensure job security for all our people” concluded Mr. Koper.

Bus services operated by Ritchie’s Transport, Howick & Eastern, Birkenhead Transport, Urban Express, Waiheke Buses, Northern Express and Airbus services are not affected.

For more information visit www.maxx.co.nz or call 09 366 6400

NZ Bus wish to apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused.

ENDS

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