Transport Minister Michael Wood is strongly urging NZ Bus to withdraw its indefinite lock out of striking bus drivers.
The Tramsways Union, which represents the bus drivers, announced it would launch a 24-hour strike from 4am on Friday after pay negotiations with the company broke down earlier this year.
But with the decision by NZ Bus to lock out its striking drivers Wellington’s bus shutdown could last for much longer than one day.
On Thursday afternoon, NZ Bus told its drivers, it would lock employees out of its depots until the proposed collective agreement was signed. In a statement, NZ Bus chief executive Jay Zmijewski said it had been left with no option” but to issue the lockout notice in response to the strike action, the disruption we have been experiencing, and the threat of further surprise attack strikes by the union.
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We thought long and hard about this and regret that weve had to take this step, but we have no option,” Zmijewski said.
The strike action by the union is very disruptive for our passengers and the unions threat of further surprise attack strikes means we cant guarantee the safety and reliability of our services.
NZ Bus is owned by Australian private equity firm Next Capital, which acquired it for $229 million in 2018.
Wellington bus drivers voted for a 24-hour strike on Friday but the shutdown could now last weeks.
Tramways Union secretary Kevin OSullivan said drivers would not accept the pay deal. The union drivers last week voted 204-2 in favour of taking industrial action.
There will be no buses running for some time, OSullivan said. I would not count on too many buses for the next week at least. Unless the council decides to step in, which they may do.
The strike and lockout will affect 27 bus services in the Wellington city area, particularly in the eastern suburbs. No alternative services will be run on the routes.
Services run by rival operator Tranzurban will not be affected, including the popular number 1 and 7 routes.
The strike and lockout could cause chaos for Wellingtons streets on Friday. (File photo)
Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff said he was shocked and appalled at the lockout.
A big Aussie venture capital company is trying to bludgeon a vulnerable workforce into submission with an indefinite lockout. These tactics have no place in New Zealand and commuters who rely on these drivers will be shocked at the way drivers are being treated, he said.
Clearly Next Capital, the owners of NZ Bus, dont care about bus drivers, dont care about people of Wellington, and they dont care about New Zealand. They just want to increase their own profit by savaging their workforce, and clearly theyll do anything to achieve it.
Transport Minister Michael Wood says my strong urging to NZ Bus is to withdraw its indefinite lockout notice, and for both parties to return to the bargaining table and negotiate to reach a reasonable and equitable agreement.
Wood was generally cautious about commenting on individual industrial disputes but said on Thursday evening that there were significant issues at stake that shaped his response to Wellingtons bus strike the long-running problems affecting commuters and the unacceptable impact an indefinite lockout would have on people and business in the capital.
Wood was also concerned about the the disproportionate impact on vulnerable workers by indefinitely locking them out unless they accept the company offer.
My strong urging to NZ Bus is to withdraw its indefinite lockout notice, and for both parties to return to the bargaining table and negotiate to reach a reasonable and equitable agreement,” Wood said.
I am closely monitoring developments and expect constructive, good faith behaviour from all sides.
Greater Wellington Regional Council Daran Ponter says he is extremely frustrated with NZ bus owner Next Capital.
Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Daran Ponter said he was p….d off when he heard about the lockout notice.
Im extremely frustrated. Im p….d off with [NZ Bus owner] Next Capital. Its very unfair on Wellington commuters, he said.
NZ Bus has a contract with the regional council to provide public transport services and can face reparations for not meeting contractual obligations.
We will be fining them most likely for not providing services. The bigger question is whether that is enough to deter Next Capital, he said.
NZ Bus was fined by the regional council 12,330 times in the 11 months from April 2019 to March 2020 for cancelled and late services.
Wellington bus drivers campaigned for a Living Wage increase on Cuba St in 2020.
If the lockout dragged on for an extended time, NZ Bus could risk losing its contract altogether.
That is ultimately a possibility if theyre not meeting performance requirements in the contract … If it dragged on for a month, the default provisions would be triggered, Ponter said.
Metlink general manager Scott Gallacher said the lockout call was deeply disappointing and surprising.
The bus strike and lockout will affect most of the routes in the Eastern Suburbs of Wellington
Just this morning we had a commitment from NZ Bus that they would attend a mediation process facilitated by Metlink. We are very concerned about the real impact this will have on thousands of passengers who will be left without services, he said.
Whats behind the strike:
Tramways Union and NZ Bus have been locked in bitter negotiation for months over a new collective agreement.
The new agreement proposed by NZ Bus would move drivers onto a higher base wage of $23.75 an hour, and to $25 per hour after 2 years. The company says the old agreement advantages longest-serving drivers who get the best shifts and the longest working hours.
However, drivers are unhappy about the loss of some penal rates and conditions.
The union is fiercely protective of several highly valued benefits in its current collective agreement, including double pay after midnight, time and a half on weekends, and strict controls around hours of work without extra pay.
The surprise strike was announced at 3am on Thursday morning after drivers voted 204-2 to reject the offer and take industrial action, at a meeting on April 14.
The strike will start at 4am on Friday, and end at 4am on Saturday.
Bus shutdown: What you need to know
- The NZ Bus routes affected are: 2, 3 ,21, 22, 12, 12e, 13, 14, 18e, 20, 28, 30x, 31x, 33, 34, 35, 36,37,81, 83, 84, 85x, N2, N3, N8, and N88.
- Commuters travelling from the eastern suburbs through the Mt Victoria tunnel should expect delays.
- No alternative services will be run on affected routes.
- Drivers will be picketing from 7am on Friday at the Kilbirnie bus depot.