NZ Bus wants to move drivers on to a new collective agreement with higher base wage, but which has lower penal rates and one week less annual leave. Drivers in Wellington are fiercely protective of several highly valued benefits in their current collective agreement, including double pay after midnight, time and a half on weekends, and strict controls around hours of work without additional compensation.
Rosa Woods/Stuff
There were more than 1200 bus cancellations in Wellington in March, the highest number since the Covid-19 lockdown. Hundreds of bus services were cancelled across Wellington city on Wednesday as bus drivers stopped work for the union meeting.