The Council of Trade Unions is shocked and appalled by the behaviour of NZ Bus, owned by Next Capital, which has today issued lock-out notices to Wellington Bus drivers for an indefinite period. CTU President Richard Wagstaff said, "this is a direct attack on our bus drivers in an attempt to cut their pay and conditions of employment."

"This is a situation where a big Aussie venture capital company is trying bludgeon a vulnerable workforce into submission with an indefinite lock-out. These tactics have no place in New Zealand and commuters who rely on these drivers will be shocked at the way drivers are being treated."

"NZ Bus have already refused an offer by the Wellington Regional Council to fund a living wage adjustment, because they want to reduce conditions of employment."

"Clearly Next Capital, the owners of NZ Bus, don’t care about bus drivers, don’t care about people of Wellington and they don’t care about New Zealand. They just want to increase their own profit by savaging their workforce, and clearly they’ll do anything to achieve it."

"The Wellington Regional Council, who contract NZ Bus to deliver services, must give Next Capital the message that these tactics are an affront to the values principles of the Council and have no place in Wellington," Wagstaff said.

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1. The lockout is due to start once tomorrows strike finishes

2. For more information about the definition of a lockout https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2000/0024/latest/DLM59970.html

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