By Terry Coggan May 24, 2021
WELLINGTON, New Zealand Over 50 bus drivers in a 24-hour strike against NZ Bus staged a spirited picket outside its Kilbirnie depot here April 23. The company responded by locking workers out.
The drivers voted 204-2 at an April 14 meeting of their union, the New Zealand Tramways Union, Wellington Branch, to strike in protest against company demands to eliminate overtime pay.
The company is offering a pay raise of up to 4 New Zealand dollars an hour ($2.88), to NZ$23.75, but wants to cut overtime premiums, which include double pay for working after midnight and on Sundays, and time and a half on Saturdays. This would eliminate the pay raise and much more. Bosses also want to eliminate one week of drivers’ annual holidays.