Head of bus operator Pavlovich says Auckland strike has come out of the blue

Around 350 services in Auckland will be affected when some drivers walk off the job for 24 hours, while Go Bus drivers in Hamilton will strikes for four hours this morning.

The head of Pavlovich buses says this morning's strike has come out of the blue.

Bernard Pavlovich told 1 NEWS he was alerted to the strike yesterday morning while he was on holiday.

"Issuing a strike action notice at 4am on a public holiday when the person it's issued to is on leave is just taking advantage," Mr Pavlovich said.

It comes after hundreds of Ritchies Murphy Transport and Pavlovich Coachlines bus drivers across Auckland announced they would be walking off the job to fight for better pay and working conditions. 

The first strike began in Auckland at 4am this morning, with 350 services affected by the 24-hour strike.

Go Bus drivers in Hamilton are staging a shorter protest – between 5am and 9am - while Metlink Wellington is bracing for industrial action on Thursday.

Mr Pavlovich called the strike an "attack" on employers across the country.

"It's part of a political agenda where they're clearly hopeful the central government will step in," he said.

While around only five per cent of services were dropped, Mr Pavlovich said the strike had left him "annoyed and frustrated".

"We're not even in negotiations with the unions.

"The collective agreement Pavolvich has on-site has expired and no negotiation can take place until the union reinitiates bargaining with us which they have not done."

Emir Hodzic from First Union says the current public transport model isn't working, and drivers are paying the price.

"Effectively the council is forced to reward bad employers and punish good employers because the contracts are going to be give out to the lowest paying operator," he told TVNZ's Breakfast. 

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