Auckland buses back on after last-minute deal struck between NZ Bus and unions

Buses in Tāmaki Makaurau are back on after a last-minute deal has been struck between NZ Bus and bus unions.

Aucklanders were facing the indefinite suspension of all bus services from Friday morning after a breakdown in negotiations between NZ Bus and the unions representing its drivers – Tramways and FIRST Union.

But, at 10.30pm on Thursday, NZ Bus and bus unions announced they had agreed to withdraw strike action.

AT executive General Manager Public Transport Services Stacey van der Putten said the news the driver strike is over “will be a relief for Aucklanders”.

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“I want to thank NZ Bus and representatives from Tramways and FIRST Union for bringing what would have been significant period of disruption and uncertainty for Aucklanders to an end,” van der Putten said.

If the suspension of NZ Bus services had continued next week it could have affected up to 4000 bus trips each weekday, disrupting the daily commutes of tens of thousands of Aucklanders, including thousands of school children, she said.

“We’d also like to thank our bus customers for their patience during this time, as well as for their ongoing support for Auckland’s hard-working bus drivers.”

The suspension of the strikes brings to an end a week that saw drivers threaten to refuse payment from bus users.

In their bid for better pay and conditions, drivers suggested they refuse to use HOP machines for a week from Friday, which would have meant free travel for all.