Strike to stagger rail travel
Industrial action set to add to pain for passengers using Auckland railways
Auckland trains will run only once every 20 minutes at peak times from today as rail workers strike over workloads. Unionised Auckland One Rail (AOR) workers have refused to work overtime or altered rostered hours, as part of industrial action.
Auckland Transport (AT) is advising commuters to plan ahead as the network operates on a reduced timetable that started on Saturday, with peak train services only operating every 20 minutes.
“We currently do not know when this industrial action will be resolved,” says AT rail franchise manager Craig Inger. “AOR has been in collective bargaining with the Rail and Maritime [Transport] Union of New Zealand and we are disappointed that it has come to industrial action, impacting many of our customers.”
It was possible the action could go on for up to a month if an agreement cannot be reached, the union said.
“We understand how deeply frustrating this will be for our rail customers, who have already had to endure ongoing disruption while we work with our partners to prepare the rail network for the opening of the City Rail Link,” Inger said.
“We encourage both parties to meet and continue bargaining in order to prevent ongoing disruption to Aucklanders.”
Inger said there could also be additional cancellations due to staff shortages, even though off-peak and weekend services are still running at regular frequencies.
The union’s general secretary Todd Valster had said it had been bargaining with AOR for the last eight months and was still trying to reach a compromise.
Disputes included removing the clause guaranteeing train drivers the majority of their weekends off and workload issues.
AOR chief executive Martin Kearney said he was disappointed by the strike action.
AOR and the union will be going into mediation this week to try to reach a resolution.