BUS drivers have demanded appropriate breaks, better working conditions and training to diffuse violent situations as part of a 24-hour strike across Newcastle and the Hunter.
Transport Workers Union NSW branch secretary Richard Olsen said at least 80 per cent of members in the region took part in the strike, the result of a build up of frustration and 'lack of action' from the state government.
"This is the fault of the state government, they have let the bus industry down by the way they have contracted the industry out over the past few years," he said.
"Competitive tendering has not been conducive to great outcomes for transport workers or the community, we think there's a better way that should have been handled and we will seek those changes with the relevant parties when we get in front of them."
Major disruptions were expected around Hexham, Metford, Maitland and Branxton on Monday.
CDC NSW released a statement apologising for the inconvenience to commuters.
"On 11 April from 12:01 am, bus services in northwest Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley will be impacted for 24 hours by industry-wide protected industrial action by the Transport Workers' Union of Australia," the statement read.
"To manage the impact of reduced driver numbers, we will be running Saturday timetable services."
Transport for NSW said it had worked with CDC NSW to minimise the disruption.
"A Saturday timetable was implemented to provide services for customers across the 43 regular weekday bus routes, however this has been significantly impacted by industrial action," a spokeswoman said.
"Negotiations on a proposed Enterprise Agreement are between CDC NSW and its employees."
Newcastle Transport services operated by Kelios Downer - which runs buses, ferries, the light rail and the multi-modal Newcastle Interchange were not impacted as a result of the strike.
Mr Olsen said drivers are working shifts of up to 13 hours and some have faced medical issues as a result of a lack of breaks and access to toilet facilities.
"It has to be reduced by an hour back to 12, with appropriate breaks that still gives you a span of some 14 hours that you're at work and that again is too long," he said.
"We need to look at the health of our drivers, we know drivers have medical issues as a result of not being able to get to toilets when they need to because they don't want to keep 60 people waiting on a bus for five minutes - we need to build in those proper breaks."
He said drivers need proper training in how to diffuse violent situations, with many unsure of how to manage confrontation when passengers become aggressive.
Mr Olsen said a disparity as a result of privatisation in 2018 had created a two-wage tiered system of pay and conditions across different areas.
"It doesn't matter whether you're in Newcastle, Gosford or Sydney - we are all contracted to the same employer which is the state government, so why should we allow that to occur?" he said.
"They are not willing to come to the party and have those proper discussions to work through the mechanisms for the same rate of pay.
"We are taking that to the state government saying it's your contractor, you need to fix it and the state government needs to play their part."
NSW Transport Minister David Elliott was contacted for comment.
