Abbott said the union was working to get the buses back to the road tomorrow, but this was a necessary action to achieve a resolution.
Drivers were suspended and thousands of bus trips in Auckland operated by the company NZ Bus were cancelled last week after drivers refused to collect fares.
The drivers are pushing for better wages and conditions and have been holding pickets across the city over the weekend.
A meeting had been called between the unions and NZ Bus this afternoon but was unproductive.
"Our position is very simple. All the company needs to do is to withdraw their suspension notices and the buses will be back on the road. If they're looking for concessions from us, then it may not be that fruitful a meeting," Abbott earlier said.
Abbott said the unions want a short-term solution to get the bus drivers back to work and to end the disruptions. He said drivers need a better pay rate and a solution that may take a bit longer, to deal with the problem around contracting and how it currently works.
Many buses are likely to be off Auckland's roads in the upcoming days, possibly until Christmas.
What Auckland commuters need to know:
Around 70,000 commuters could be affected by tomorrow's industrial action.
NZ Bus operates 30-35% of the city's services, along some of the busiest routes along Dominion, Sandringham, Mt Eden and Manukau Roads, as well as other routes across the wider Auckland region and the LINK services.
AT has advised that at least four bus routes will be partly operational on Monday:
The 321 Hospital service will run as normal.
Route 25 along Dominion Rd
Will depart Mt Roskill shops at 6:30am, with services leaving around every 15mins until 10am.
Between 10am and 4pm, it will run every half hour.
After 4pm, it will run every 15mins, with the last bus departing at 6.15pm.
Route 25 from the Civic Centre
The first bus will leave at 7.15am and will run every 15mins until 8.45pm.
Between 8.45am and 3.45pm, the bus will run every half hour.
From 3.45pm it will run about every 15 minutes, with the last bus departing at 7.00pm.
Route 27, along Mt Eden Rd from Three Kings
The first bus will leave at 6.30am and will run every 15mins until 10am.
Between 10am and 4pm it will run every half hour.
After 4pm it will run every 15 minutes, with the last bus departing at 6.15pm.
Route 27, from Britomart (Commerce St)
The first bus will leave at 7.15am, running every 15 minutes until 9.45am.
Between 9.45am and 3.45pm it will run every half hour.
After 3.45pm it will run every 15mins, with the last bus departing at 7pm.
- additional reporting RNZ
