Go Bus drivers in Tauranga are refusing to work overtime which may result in a disruption to services next week.

A spokesman, who spoke to SunLive on the condition of anonymity, says more than 50 drivers will work their rostered shifts, but nothing more than that, from next Monday to Thursday, April 10-13.

He says this upcoming action is a result of failed negotiations concerning pay and working conditions between drivers and Go Bus.

'The company relies heavily on drivers working overtime, and are regularly short by 10-15 drivers.

'So we're withdrawing our labour and refusing to work on our rostered days off, which is perfectly legal for us to do so, and this may cause some disruption to normal bus services over that period which we do regret.”

The spokesman says they've been in negotiations with Go Bus in one form or another for the past 12 months, but the ‘co-op' of drivers was only established in the past month.

'We've formed ourselves into a type of co-op because we realise there's strength in numbers. Not all drivers are in the co-op, but the vast majority are - well over 50 drivers.”

The spokesman says their demands focus squarely on better pay and improved working conditions.

According to the spokesman, drivers are currently paid $17.10 an hour. In 2016, they'd received a 7 cent per hour pay rise, 'but to be fair” this year they also received a 2.4 per cent salary.

'But that 2.4 per cent increase only just makes up for last year's debacle. We just really want to head towards a living wage, $17.10 is only just over the minimum wage and when you've got families trying to survive on that, it just doesn't work.”

The co-op also wants safer working conditions for drivers and are demanding video cameras within the buses' cabs, plus some form of security measures to protect drivers from abusive passengers.

'There were 12 drivers assaulted last year, one a month, and management made absolutely no comment about them, they didn't talk to the staff about them, didn't talk to the drivers about the fact we were being assaulted in such large numbers.

'The company has said they'll look into it but as they're in contract negotiations with the [Bay of Plenty Regional Council they wouldn't promise anything. But they need to realise we don't like leaving home with our spouses or partners saying ‘don't get yourself punched out today'.

'We want cameras within the cab of the bus and some form of security.”

Tauranga's bus service is provided by transportation company Go Bus and is managed by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

But regional operations manager Darryl Bellamy says Go Bus has not been formally notified of the planned action and there's also been no formal negotiations between the company and drivers.

Due to the lack of formal notification or negotiation, further investigation is needed and Go Bus was not prepared to comment on the drivers' planned action, adds Darryl.