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.
For further comment contact FIRST Union Transport and Logistics Secretary Karl Andersen: 021 674 310
Awesome!!
Ten hours is the legal minimum break between shifts but most employers prefer to give 11 or 12 hour breaks if they can. If a driver is on a regular shift this usually works out, but if drivers work irregular hours or have to swap shifts due to illness or some other reason it starts to get a bit tricky.
The Auckland bus drivers work under probably the most difficult bus driving conditions in the country, in many respects.
The level of stress caused by timetables, traffic congestion and passengers would be much higher than in other areas.
If the big bosses did a shift in Auckland rush hour traffic they might start to appreciate the drivers a bit more.
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