Auckland commuters are facing severe disruption with drivers threatening to work to rule from Wednesday while their employers threaten a total lock out if they do.
The Tramways Union spokesman Gary Froggatt, said today the drivers had voted to take the action after 12 days of negotiations had not gone anywhere.
The union members had been offered annual increases over the next three years, of 3.5 percent, 3 percent, and 3.4 percent which were unacceptable.
Infratil-owned company New Zealand Bus responded to the drivers' threats by saying they would be locked out if they took industrial action.
"We have communicated very clearly with the union and told them if they took industrial action, it would inconvenience our customers and that would be unacceptable to us," operations general manager Zane Fulljames said.
He said that the driver would be locked out from 4am on Wednesday meaning there would be no bus services run by Transportation Auckland corporation or Cityline New Zealand.
Mr Froggatt said he was hopeful the company would come up with a new offer.
But Mr Fulljames said he thought 9.9 percent over three years was a fair one in the current economic climate
