Bus Stoppage Friday
Seems the buses from NZ Bus (Waka Pacific, Metrolink, Go West, the various Link Buses (Outer and City) and North Star) will be at minimal services on Friday between 1pm and 4pm
From Stuff.co.nz
Commuter chaos looms for Aucklanders
he prospect of Auckland bus drivers going on strike and city transport systems screeching to a halt moved a step closer today when wage talks failed to reach a conclusion.
On Friday 900 bus drivers will attend a meeting at Alexandra Park meaning bus services will be greatly reduced between 1pm and 4pm.
Last month more than 36,000 Auckland commuters were stranded when a similar meeting took place.
The Auckland Tramways Union and FIRST Union are negotiating a new collective agreement with NZ Bus.
After a number of unsuccessful meetings last month it was hoped an agreement was close, but again today the parties failed to come to an agreement.
NZ Bus said they had requested Friday’s meeting be held earlier in the day so their services weren’t so disrupted, but the unions didn’t agree.
“It’s disappointing that the unions have not agreed to hold their meeting a couple of hours earlier, when the impact to our customers and school services could be minimised”, Shane McMahon of NZ Bus said.
The union too said they had hoped the meeting could take place off-peak.
Sensationalist headlines and opening sentences aside it seems Friday afternoon is going to be a bit rough out there on the roads and buses. Also means trains might be somewhat busier than normal too.
Oh well, just another way to finish of a working week. Let’s hope this industrial unrest is not for too long…
