Buses back in action tomorrow (+video)

Some anti-union corrspondnts need to get real!! The Company locked out the drivers - that is what has caused the chaos! I am an ex-Go Wellington driver, now doing the same job in Sydney for about 1.7 times the rate that Go wellington is paying (plus penal rates, overtime, 9% super from the employer and some travel perks). One can even get even higher pay in Perth and one or 2 other places in Australia and especially for the mining companies. Many Go wellington drivers have gone to Oz like me, or taken up better paying truck driving jobs. But many have families and nortgages so cannoty afford to move and so are forced to survive on barely more than the minimum hourly wage. How dare some of your correspndents refer to driving of buses as an "unskilled" job, when youare constantly responsible for the lives of 50 odd people ion a bus. Not only do you have to have appropriate licenses, you also have to have a assenger endorsement license which means no criminal record, etc., and now with new technology, some computer literacy is also required. As for complaints about rudeness of some drivers, it is very hard to give your best after your wages have been effectivelky reduced by 19% ny the bosses (shortening of rosters, reduced overtime). I can also say that if the bosses put more resources into ongoing paid in-house and external training and carer structure, that would also improve services to the pblic. But do not blame the drivers for any such service shortcomings. I'd like to see Lloyd Morrison of Infratil survive on drivers wages!! Go the drivers - do not give in.

I think you will find there's a bit more skill required to fly a plane than dive a bus ...you fool

Actually "Mate" you need to do your homework better Go Wellington only locked out the drivers once the drivers had already gone on strike Wednesday morning 7.30-8.30am not during the negotiation process

You people of Wellington need to get real!!

I have driven buses for the last 15 years and in Wellington. I now drive long haul to Auckland.

The drivers of some of the GO Wellington buses are taught how to steer NOT how to drive. But when the company actively screws the drivers, by cutting the overtime down, employing more drivers so the new rosters that they are on means that they have to work 6 days to make up the 40 hours just to live.

Go wellington are a bunch of bullies who try and throw their weight around when they can.

I challenge you people to get out of your offices and drive a bus. then see if you think that $12.72 is good money listening to constant abuse from passengers, abuse from the bus company, having people in cars and pedestrians with death wishes cut in front of you, have school children who rock buses so brakes are as effective, then cop a mouthful of foul abuse by them, get robbed, spat at, need I go on.

Some people of wellington have no idea at all the impications of bus driving. Pilots get paid well for conveying people with less hazards. With the BS that drivers poke up with, they should be on 50K+ a year.

This is also coming from a company that made several million in profit for the last financial year.

GO FIGURE!!! Go the drivers, stick to your guns!!

As usual people only hear what they want to hear all bus drivers are not on the minimum wage that just creates a nice story for the union so you feel sympathy for them! 7% increase + all the extras the company offered in these economic times is brilliant for unskilled work - if they can earn more else where why don't they go work there! I'm not sure any bus driver could be that good they deserve $65k a year which is what the highest driver is on.

"Seven per cent pay increase in the first year, 3.25 per cent for the following 10 months, and a gross cash payment of $250. The average wage for a Go Wellington driver working an average 43-hour week is $40,564. The seven per cent increase would take it to $43,403. The highest-paid Go Wellington driver is on $65,000."

Jan, At the stop work meeting it was voted on to not support the company's "final" offer and to take strike action if they didn't give the drivers the extra 22c. It was put to the company that if they didn't add 22c us drivers would go on strike, something I was very much opposed to. Where's the good faith in that? Surely it would have been better to approach the company and say that "we" wanted an extra 22c on top of the offer without using the loaded gun effect?

22c on a 40 hour week is only $8.80. Can't buy a block of cheese for that so what's the point? The deal that was offered was a good deal and I bet we don't get offered the same again around the negotiating table.

I've learned a lot from following the many comments posted about this dispute. In general people seem to have some sympathy with the drivers but quite rightly loathe the poor customer relations so often experienced. Everyone hates the bus company (and why wouldn't they) and the council has been shown to be impotent and hopefully destined for a change at the next election.

All in all, very interesting. Oh, and shame on all their houses for their behaviour in this mess.

Hi Mate, you need to to do some homework. Its Go Wellington who locked out its drivers during negotiation process,not the drivers going out on protest as you say. Cheers.

They don't have deep pockets because there full of those poxy snapper cards. there bunch of twits and there screwing a lot of people over, how much you get paid takes into account how easily, cheaply, and timely you can get from your house to work.

No one should have to negotiate under duress,to be told you must accept our final offer or we will lock you out is not called "negotiating in good faith". The average 43hr wage is 40.5k !!!! that's funny, having worked there for 23 years I have never been within 10,k of that doing a normal week. To achieve 65,k you should be aware, that involves working 70 hrs per week, of which includes having to work over a period of 14hrs, with a big huge unpaid 3-4 hr break in the middle of that,6out of 7 days. This creates an undesirable lifestyle, imagine being away from your partner & children 6 days a week, then you might realise why some of us are GRUMPY.