Auckland bus drivers win court case – NZ Bus ordered to pay $10,000

FIRST Union and the Tramways Union have secured a judgment in the Employment Relations Authority holding that NZ Bus, the Auckland bus company whose drivers took city-wide strike action in February, was in breach of its consultation obligations under the collective agreement with the two unions and in breach of its good faith obligations under the Employment Relations Act.

“Last year NZ Bus introduced new rosters without properly consulting with drivers and their unions,” says FIRST Union Transport and Logistics Secretary Karl Andersen.

“The rosters allowed for drivers to work up to 10 or 11 hours per day with only a 10 hour break between the next shift.”

“Now the Employment Relations Authority has held that consultation on the new rosters was inadequate and a breach of the collective agreement and the good faith obligations under the Employment Relations Act. The penalty is $10,000.”

“This decision reinforces our view that Auckland Transport’s (AT) model is broken,” says Andersen.

“AT’s rules and regulations put pressure on bus operators to disregard collective agreements and employment law. AT wants more routes, more buses and faster travel times, yet it wants it all at a lower and lower cost. This isn’t sustainable and it means bus operators are under tremendous pressure to cut corners and bus drivers see their wages and conditions diminished.”

“Auckland Council needs to get together with AT, bus operators and unions to set some minimum standards when it comes to things like timetables, bus runs and rest breaks. If the status quo prevails then we’re just going to keep seeing further disputes between bus operators and drivers like the current dispute at Howick and Eastern Buses” says Andersen.

ENDS

© Scoop Media