Another bus driver strike hits Auckland commuters as trains cancelled, delayed on Tuesday
Monday, 16 April 2018
Commuters put out by cancelled bus services due to strike action have been hit again by train delays and cancellations.
Auckland Transport (AT) said some bus services operated by NZ Bus would be cancelled from April 17 until April 27.
This was due to industrial action being taken by members of First Union and Tramways, AT said.
Bus drivers were pushing for fairer pay and work conditions, First Union said.
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West Auckland commuters would have the most trouble on Tuesday.
Some services departing from Westgate, New Lynn, Henderson, Rosebank Rd and the city before 7am on April 17 would not be operating.
The strike would be Auckland-wide and affect commuters in suburbs such as Glen Innes, Onehunga, Westmere and Otahuhu starting Wednesday.
Meanwhile, commuters were faced with further headaches after trains on the eastern line were suspended between Manukau and Sylvia Park early on Tuesday morning.
Auckland Transport said it was due to a 'train crew matter' but did not provide any further details.
The matter was resolved by 7.10am, but Auckland Transport said commuters should 'expect some delays as services return to schedule'.
About 8am, Auckland Transport said train speed restrictions had been put in place following a points failure at Britomart.
There was congestion at Britomart, and commuters should expect 'some delays' across the network.
STRIKE ACTION
Instead of transporting passengers, bus drivers would attend union meetings to decide a way forward after failed negotiations with NZ Bus.
This industrial action comes after an earlier bus driver strike in March.
Union organiser Graham McKean said Auckland bus drivers wanted an alternative to the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) and the issues it has caused.
PTOM is a government model aimed at making public transport operate fully commercially, with a decreased reliance on subsidies.
For NZ Bus, which ran some Auckland bus routes, was proposing to cut overtime rates for new employees.
McKean said it was unfortunate commuters would be affected, but the strike was a last resort.
'We don't like disrupting services, but we have been in lengthy negotiations with NZ Bus and we simply have no other option so are encouraging commuters to leave home early, or arrange alternative transport.'
An NZ Bus spokesperson said the company was proposing a flat rate for new drivers that aligned with the new living wage plus 10 per cent to reflect the added cost of living in Auckland.
It formed part of an overall offer that had been made to unions.
'The unions have recently been very positive about NZ Bus' success in securing tenders in the Bay of Plenty based on a Living Wage pay rate. A flat rate for new drivers is also consistent with what other bus companies in Auckland offer,' the spokesperson said.
Full details of cancelled services can be found here.