The current operator of buses in South Auckland has lost its bid with Auckland Transport to continue running services in the region.
According to the First Union, who represents many of the NZ Bus employees, notices have been placed in its South Auckland bus depots informing workers that Go Bus and Ritchies Coachlines will be taking over the South Auckland bus services.
The First Union, general secretary Robert Reid told Stuff that more than 250 drivers face redundancy including some staff from Howick and Eastern Buses, which has also lost some of it bus services in South Auckland.
Reid says the decision revealed flies in the face of assurances from Auckland Transport that companies would be judged on quality and innovation, not cost alone.
The union told Stuff that it will be contacting the successful bus companies to negotiate wages and conditions for transferring drivers.
Reid says the union is concerned existing NZ Bus employees will be paid a lower wage than they are getting now by the new contract holders.
“We will also contact Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to get their support to ensure a salary cut for already low-paid South Auckland bus drivers does not happen,” says Reid.
Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan told Stuff that the South Auckland tender has not yet been awarded, and it was in talks with some preferred suppliers.
Hannan says an announcement on the winning tender would be made in a few weeks.
In a statement NZ Bus, chief executive Zane Fulljames says it was a disappointing tender outcome, especially for the staff.
NZ Bus staff operating in South Auckland will have nine months before the start of the new contracts, and Fulljames says it is important to keep this outcome in perspective.
“While a number of contracts are being tendered across Auckland, other contracts are being renewed with incumbent bus operators through a direct negotiation process,” says Fulljames.
“NZ Bus has rights to negotiate a number of these contracts, representing in scale around 50% of its existing business in Auckland,” he says.
