Auckland drivers and cleaners employed by New Zealand Bus have rejected an offer for a three-year, 11.5 percent pay rise, the company said today.
An agreement reached last Friday between NZ Bus and unions representing about 900 drivers and cleaners was put to union members today.
NZ Bus operations general manager Zane Fulljames said the decision of members to turn down the offer "beggars belief"."It is immensely disappointing to our customers, our people and the business," he said in a statement.
"The unions agreed to take and recommend the offer to their members. This did not happen."The offer contained in a proposed new combined employment agreement was for pay increases of 4.2 percent, 4.0 percent and 3.3 percent respectively over the next three years, Mr Fulljames said.
"We will now take some time to consider our position and to understand the facts over the next few days," he said."We will be making no further comment at this time."
A spokesman for the four unions that make up the Auckland Combined Unions was not available for comment.The unions represent most of the bus drivers and cleaners in the region and they have been in negotiations with NZ Bus since May.
The employees concerned work for the Metrolink, Go West, Waka Pacific, North Star, Link and City Circuit bus services.An impasse in the negotiations last month lead to major disruptions to services for several days with tens of thousands of commuters affected.
