August 4, 2009

Media Release

 
Akarana drivers reject NZ Bus offer

NZ Bus company drivers belonging to the Akarana Public Drivers’ Association have rejected an offer for a new collective employment agreement which could see sick drivers lose their jobs.

The Akarana union is the first of the four unions involved in the negotiations with NZ Bus in Auckland to vote on the offer. NZ Bus operates the North Star, Metrolink, Go West and Waka Pacific services in Auckland. The three other unions involved in the negotiations will vote on the offer over the next few days.

Akarana president Stu Harper says that his members rejected the offer overwhelmingly when they met on Tuesday to discuss it. They were unhappy with the pay offer and the company’s proposed clawbacks.

The company wants the right to sack workers who are off sick or injured for more than a month.

That means that someone who is sick, has surgery or who is involved in an accident – even an accident at work – that needs more than a month’s recuperation could lose their job.

The company also wants to remove rules designed to give drivers a fair hearing in cases of public complaints about them.

At the moment, the complaint has to be made in writing within five days after the alleged incident, Mr Harper said. The company wants to change that so that complaints can be laid at any time in the future, even years after the incident, when it’s almost impossible for drivers to find witnesses who saw what happened.

Mr Harper says that the drivers are also disappointed with the pay increase they have been offered.

“Currently, the current starting rate is around $14 per hour, only $1.50 more than the minimum wage.

“The company has pointed out to the combined unions that the country is in the grip of an economic recession. Akarana drivers are not ignorant of this fact, as we see the effects of the recession in our members’ seeking budget advice, or looking for temporary loans to assist the housekeeping.

“Some of them are reducing spending on basic food items just to service their mortgages, get themselves to work etc.”

The drivers have been offered a three-year agreement, with a 3.5 per cent pay rise in the first year, three per cent in the second year, and another three per cent in the third year.”

Mr Harper says that his members are keen to get back around the table with the company to come up with a better agreement.

“If the other unions reject the offer, we’d like to see the company expedite due diligence and return to the negotiating table,” Mr Harper said.

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