Auckland's largest bus company is making a last ditch effort to avert more than 800 of its drivers striking every Monday from next week, for the next eight weeks.
Earlier this week, the drivers rejected a new pay deal from NZ Bus following an ongoing dispute over the terms of their collective employment agreement.
The bus company has requested an urgent meeting with the First and Tramways unions, which represent its drivers.
Chief operating officer Shane McMahon says it is strongly urging the unions to lift their strike notice.
"We don't think there's any winners from strike action, and there's been conversations this afternoon with both unions where we've asked them to lift the strike action on Monday so we can get back around the table and try to resolve this."
Mr McMahon says the company's latest offer would make its staff the highest paid drivers in Auckland.
Earlier this week, a majority of drivers rejected the offer of a three-stage pay rise to $20 an hour.
It needed the agreement of 60% of the drivers but only 43% were in favour.
NZ Bus operates services including Metrolink, Go West, Waka Pacific, Northstar and the inner-city Link routes.
