Media Statement
13 August 2018

First Union’s 24-Hour Strike Action Not in Best Interest of Drivers And Their Families

Go Bus says that it is growing increasingly frustrated by First Union’s unwillingness to engage in productive, good faith negotiation, and is disappointed that drivers and their families will be unfairly impacted with lost income as a result of unnecessary strike action. This comes as the union has confirmed a short-notice 24-hour strike starting Tuesday 14 August at 5.30am.

The strike will affect Hamilton city bus services, Te Awamutu and Otorohanga school bus services between 5.30am and midnight Tuesday 14 August.

Go Bus says it will do everything it can to provide as many services as possible.

• For Hamilton services please see the the Busit website at www.busit.co.nz, by phoning 0800 205 305 or visiting busitwaikato on Facebook for the latest update
• No Otorohanga school buses will operate
• All Te Awamutu school buses will operate
• All Special Needs runs will operate

Nigel Piper, Chief Operating Officer of Go Bus, says the company had been committed to working with the union to find a sensible agreement that will benefit all parties.

“We have been in protracted pay and condition negotiations with First Union for 18 months and have put together a very attractive package for its members, which was presented to the union today. This offer had increases of between 1.5% and 5.6% for drivers. This was in addition to the 6.7% increase already given earlier this year. However, First Union continues to show NO respect for bus passengers and responded to our offer by extending the duration of what was going to be a six hour strike, to an all day strike. We have clearly reached the point where the parties need assistance to progress this matter. Go Bus is now preparing an application for urgent assistance to resolve this dispute through facilitation in the Employment Relations Authority.

“We can assure our passengers in Hamilton, Te Awamutu and Otorohanga that we will do everything we can to cover as many services as possible. However, it is very likely that parents in Otorohanga will need to find alternative transport for their children to and from school on Tuesday.

“We can also assure our passengers that Go Bus has a proud track record of increasing wages beyond the level of inflation.

“We also have a good record of successful negotiation with the various other unions that collectively represent a greater proportion of our people.”

Hamilton bus passengers can find information on individual bus route disruptions from the Busit website at www.busit.co.nz, by phoning 0800 205 305 or visiting busitwaikato on Facebook.

Otorohanga school bus passengers should check with their respective schools for school bus disruption information.

ends

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