Auckland bus drivers protest by walking off the job for a family barbecue

Auckland bus drivers will crank up the barbie and spend time with their family during a scheduled protest at St Aiden's Reserve in Takanini. Photo / Google

Auckland bus drivers will crank up the barbie and spend time with their families during a scheduled protest against long hours and their needs being ignored.

The protest by Ritchies Murphy driver union members will protest from 3pm to 5pm today at the St Aiden's Reserve in Takanini.

Auckland Transport confirmed some bus services operated by the company would be cancelled today between 1.25pm and midnight.

School buses would not be affected.

First Union Transport Organiser Emir Hodzic said Ritchies Murphy, like many bus companies, were ignoring the needs of drivers.

"So instead of holding a picket alone when drivers are so limited for time we've decided to have a family's afternoon where drivers get a bit of extra time with the people they care about, or at the very least a barbecue where they can have a bit of socialising time."

Hodzic says the union and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has attempted to bring the company back to the negotiation table with no luck.

"We've tried to reach out to them. They have absolutely no interest in considering the needs of workers. Everybody should be paid enough to survive on with the option of earning more should they choose to work longer hours. That is not happening here."

In June between 60 and 70 bus drivers from Ritchies Murphy in Auckland walked off the job for two hours.