25 Sep 2008

City council urges end to bus dispute

8:42 am on 25 September 2008

Wellington City Council is calling for an end to a strike by bus drivers in the capital.

There are no bus services on Thursday: the bus operator, Go Wellington, has locked out more than 300 employees, cancelling all services until further notice.

It did so after the Wellington Tramways Union announced plans to extend a strike that affected thousands of passengers from 7.30am - 8.30am on Wednesday.

The Manufacturing & Construction Workers Union is also refueling of preventing buses.

Acting Mayor Ian McKinnon, says the situation is worrying for 50,000 people who commute into the city each day.

He says the dispute couldn't come at a worse time as visitors begin to arrive for the World of WearableArt Awards.

Police say traffic on Thursday morning is moving quite well in the circumstances.

There are definitely more cars and bikes on the roads and many more people are taking advantage of a fine morning to walk to work.

Claim details

On Tuesday, the Tramways Union rejected an offer of a pay increase of 7% and demanded 8% - 12% instead.

It claims that pay for its 311 members was, in effect, cut last year when the company limited working hours.

The bus company says health and safety concerns were largely behind the cut in hours.

Chief executive Bruce Emson told Morning Report on Wednesday that the situation follows three months of negotiations and that their best pay offer was on the table.

Mr Emson said that includes a 7% pay increase for this year, a 4.3% increase for next year, as well as a one-off payment of $250 to each driver.