Arbitration, the next option outside the courts for employers and workers, has been requested by Go Bus
Go Bus said they are ‘extremely disappointed’ that First Union is striking in Hamilton on Wednesday, given they have agreed to meet and negotiate next week.
The strike will run from 6am to midnight, and will impact passengers using Hamilton’s urban bus routes and school buses in Te Awamutu and Otorohanga.
Nigel Piper, COO of Go Bus, said that while they’ll aim to run a Saturday timetable for Hamilton services, its school buses in Te Awamutu and Otorohanga will not be affected, as the company’s managers will help non-union staff maintain these services.
“Members of our management team, including CEO Calum Haslop, last week familiarised themselves with the Te Awamutu and Otorohanga school bus services so that they could step into the driver’s seat in the event of a strike like this.”
Piper said the company invited the union back to the table for talks and lodged an application to the Employment Relations Authority for facilitated bargaining in order to “assist unduly drawn out and difficult pay negotiations”.
“All our passengers can be assured that Go Bus has a proud track record of increasing wages beyond the level of inflation, the most recent being a 6.7% increase for Hamilton drivers just last December,” added Piper.
“Go Bus has no problems in attracting and retaining good, conscientious staff in the Waikato region.”
Arbitration, the next option outside of the courts for both employers and workers when bargaining fails multiple times, has been requested by Go Bus.
First Union organiser Jax Oldham said she welcomes the arbitration and hopes it will “encourage a more amicable solution that considers the needs of bus drivers”.
“They aren’t machines, they need decent pay to reflect their hard work. They need decent pay to have a decent life.”
Oldham added that she’s confused as to why the company is so rigid on pay issues.
“They’re not asking for a crazy amount of money, I just don’t understand it. The Living Wage is set so people aren’t absolutely struggling, and so they might be able to be slightly more active members in their society, it doesn’t seem like a big ask.”
