Auckland Transport short of answers on resolving city's bus dispute

Wednesday, 12 February 2020

Auckland Transport refuses to say whether it will provide extra funding to break a negotiation deadlock with bus drivers.

On Tuesday the city's bus drivers threatened further industrial action against NZ Bus if they can't resolve their dispute with the company by next week.

Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said 86 percent of union members had rejected the company's offer which would have given a pay rise of 43 cents an hour, taking the hourly rate to $22.50.

NZ Bus is locked into a fixed price contract with Auckland Transport (AT) and the cost of any pay increase would have to be paid for by the company.

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Union sources told Stuff that AT or the Auckland Council would have to come to the table with additional funding to break the deadlock.

The unions expected to meet with AT on Friday to discuss the dispute.

However, AT media relations manager Mark Hannan refused to answer questions around whether it was willing to provide funding to resolve the deadlock.

'Auckland Transport has been meeting the unions as part of the broader bus industry discussion and another meeting is planned,' Hannan said in a statement.

'This is aligned to the industry Memorandum of Understanding entered into last year as an outcome of the ERAA (Employment Relations Amendment Act) changes that impacted the bus industry.

'AT is also in discussions with NZ Bus about future plans to resolve this matter.'

The unions called the industrial action in December after Auckland Council asked Auckland Transport to help resolve the dispute, but negotiations remain ongoing.

NZ Bus chief commercial officer Scott Thorne earlier said he wanted to find a solution to the dispute.

The Government announced a review of the model used for contracting public transport services around the country in May 2019.

The Ministry of Transport was expected to report back to the Government with a series of recommendations by the end of 2020.

Transport Minister Phil Twyford said the old public transport model, introduced in 2013, encouraged councils to commercialise public transport services and had led to a 'race to the bottom' that was driving down bus drivers' wages and conditions.

The unions have said bus drivers were not getting enough rest, the 14-hour shifts were too long and drivers often had up to four hours of unpaid downtime between shifts.

NZ Bus announced late in 2019 its services on some of Auckland's busiest routes would be cancelled from December 7 as a result of the ongoing strike action.

But the unions called off the industrial action on December 12 after Auckland Council asked Auckland Transport to help resolve the dispute. The group headed back to negotiations in January, but NZ Bus has so far refused to improve its offer.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said he was disappointed that the parties haven't been able to come to an agreement.

'While Auckland Council isn't involved directly in negotiations between NZ Bus and the unions, council would expect both parties to act in good faith and make every effort to get this resolved as quickly as possible to avert any further industrial action.

'The Governing Body has instructed AT to play its part, and a meeting between AT senior management and Union reps is set down for this Friday to begin discussions on sustainable long-term solutions to enhance the industry and its ability to attract and retain drivers.'

He said the government's review and any changes to the contracting model for public transport may take some time to take effect, but it is the best mechanism available to deliver sustainable, long-term solutions that the drivers want and that Auckland needs.