Press Release – Friday 10thAugust 2012

NZ Bus Covers All School Services Despite Union Meeting

NZ Bus received notice on Monday, that Tramways and First Union would be calling a stop work meeting today, Friday August 10th, to discuss their Collective Agreement negotiations.

“We’re pleased that we were able to cover all dedicated school bus services despite the poor timing of the meeting” says Shane McMahon of NZ Bus. Urban services were not run between 11am and 4:30pm as a result of the meeting and NZ Bus apologises to those customers who were inconvenienced.

NZ Bus is yet to hear from the union executive as to the outcome of the meeting. The company offer was to increase wages by 6.6% over 27 months, with the first increase of 2% backdated to July of this year. NZ Bus drivers in Auckland received a 3.3% increase 5 months prior, in February, and the increase of more than 5% in a year showed their commitment to moving wages forward when inflation for the year to June was just 1%.

“Times are tough right now with unemployment at 6.8% and the offer tried to move wages forward, while still remaining competitive and ensuring job security for our people”.

NZ Bus’ last proposal was to increase the hourly wage rate to $20 per hour by April 2014, which would have seen drivers continue to be paid $1.45 more than their largest competitors.

NZ Bus wish to again apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused this Friday by the union action.

ENDS

© Scoop Media