The number of Wellington bus drivers that chose to strike today is currently 25, according to employer Tranzurban.
The operator for 60 per cent of the region’s bus network said 59 bus trips in the Hutt Valley were cancelled along with five in Wellington, as at this afternoon.
Managing director Paul Snelgrove said the company is “absolutely ecstatic” with the outcome, saying 96 per cent of its commuter services and 100 per cent of its school services weren’t affected by today’s industrial action.
Mr Snelgrove said some workers that are part of the union decided not to work today as they felt intimidated by their striking colleagues.
“It’s quite blatantly clear here that the facts and figures that the union ... and the untruths that they continuously say… are total untruths,” he said.
But Wellington Tramways Union secretary Kevin O’Sullivan said the number of strikers provided by Tranzurban was inaccurate.
“I don’t think that’s right at all. We’ve got 140 members across the two companies, Hutt Valley and Wellington, and counting the number of busses that left the Avalon depot this morning I’m confident there was a significant impact on the services.”
Mr O’Sullivan said it was too early to know how the strike had gone but that he’d been doing the best he could to manage the planned ongoing industrial action.
“I just don’t know the numbers but we will. And look it’s day one, and we’re here for the long haul so I’m quite relaxed about it and confident that we’ll get to a point where we get a good agreement in place,” he said.
The union members are striking over work hours, shift allocations, penal rates and a lack of seniority benefits.
“In Tranzurban, people work a rotating roster, so they basically don’t know what they’re doing from one day to the next. So there’s no control over the actual hours they work - they could work two hours one day and 10 the next,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
He said bargaining with Tranzurban began in March and since then three negotiation meetings have been held.
Mediation through MBIE will take place next Wednesday following a negotiation stalemate.
Paul Snelgrove said Tranzurban’s service is improving every day with ongoing changes to schedules and shift times.
“There is a new shift coming into force in Wellington about the 16th of November which is going to enhance drivers workability and hours.
“In the Hutt Valley, we’ve allowed more time for drivers to sign on in the morning. There’s been enhancements to the timetable, there’s talks with regional council all the time on improving work-life balance,” he said.
The union is calling for the terms and conditions given to drivers in previous contracts with different companies to be transferred to union members that are now working for Tranzurban.
“They’re not acceptable to us,” Mr Snelgrove said.
Tranzurban provides the highest hourly rate for city-based drivers in the country and their pay rates have previously lost the company contracts in Auckland, Mr Snelgrove said.
The hourly wage is over $22.20, he said.
Negotiations for a collective agreement are ongoing between the union and another operator, Uzabus, for its drivers that work in Kapiti.
Uzabus managing director Justin Allan said a strong case would be needed to change its current collective agreement.
Uzabus does not pay the living wage of $20.55 per hour, the rate defined necessary to pay for basic living costs.
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