Pay rise for Canterbury bus drivers brings wages in line with colleagues nationally

Friday, 21 October 2022

Greater Christchurch bus drivers are now being paid the same as colleagues around the country. (File photo)

Bus drivers in Canterbury are getting a pay rise to bring their wages in line with colleagues across the country.

Most bus drivers across the region will be paid $28 an hour – a $4 raise – backdated to October 1.

The announcement was made on Friday, days after union members foreshadowed a ballot on industrial action.

An Environmental Canterbury spokesperson said the $28 per hour was formalised for the Greater Christchurch area, with Timaru seeing an increase to $25.

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No context was given to the lower number for the South Canterbury drivers.

Stewart Gibbon, ECan’s general manager of public transport, said the council was aware drivers needed more support but wanted to wait to increase wages until Waka Kotahi could commit to matching the funding.

“We anticipate the wage increase will make a material difference to our driver shortage, but the recruitment process will take time,” Gibbon said.

Lindsay Chappell of the Amalgamated Workers Union NZ (AWUNZ) said the decision meant it was “mission accomplished… for now”.

In a message to drivers, the union said a stop work meeting set for next Thursday would still go ahead, as wages for drivers contracted by the Ministry of Education were still lagging behind, and there were other working condition issues to discuss.

Bus driver safety was an issue on some central Christchurch routes, with anti-social behaviour and assaults at bus stops a growing concern.

Earlier this month, a fight broke out and a person who attempted to get onto a bus for safety was assaulted right in front of the driver.

The Otago Regional Council made a surprise announcement on September 30 that its drivers would get a boost to $27.76 an hour.

Earlier in September, Auckland Transport announced drivers would be paid $26.62 on average, but were working on an additional increase later in the year. Many Wellington drivers got a boost to $27 an hour in 2021.