Wellington bus drivers will strike next month if a collective agreement is not reached with bus operators Tranzit or Uzabus. (File photo)

Hundreds of Wellington bus drivers have voted to strike next month if their pay dispute with bus operators is not resolved.

The Tramways Union, which represents more than 90 per cent of the Wellington region's drivers, said on Wednesday it would strike on October 23 if a collective agreement had not been reached with bus operators Tranzit Group or Uzabus.

Masterton-based Tranzit runs 60 per cent of the region's bus services, including half of Wellington City services, while Uzabus runs 6 per cent.

CAMERON BURNELL/STUFF The strike is planned for October 23 and would cause widespread disruption across the region. (File photo)

Union secretary Kevin O'Sullivan said the vote to strike was a last resort.

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"We have been trying to get Tranzit to negotiate for months and still have no offer from them or any indication they are taking the bargaining seriously. This is why we have now had to set a deadline."

FACEBOOK A bus driver stop-work meeting caused widespread disruption across Wellington on Wednesday.

Drivers at a stop-work meeting on Wednesday also passed a unanimous vote of no confidence in the Greater Wellington Regional Council, which oversees the region's public transport network, and called for a commissioner to run the network instead.

Tranzit Group managing director Paul Snelgrove said it had been in talks with the union since last year, and mediated collective bargaining discussions since last month.

He understood around 233 drivers attended Wednesday's meeting, 29 of which he said represented the Tranzurban operators in Wellington and Hutt Valley.

"The majority of our drivers are happy and we are going to continue to word damned hard to keep them happy."

O'Sullivan said it had become clear that the council had no intention of fixing the industrial dispute, or the public transport system.

"They need to have it taken away from them before they make matters worse. There is no way that Wellington's bus system can be fixed without a fair deal for drivers.

"Until this is settled, the driver shortage will continue, the industrial action will continue, and drivers will continue to have no reason to even try to make this broken system work."

NZ Bus, which runs 28 per cent of the region's services, has recently entered bargaining with the union but is not part of the current dispute.

O'Sullivan said meetings with NZ Bus had so far been constructive.

The other 6 per cent of the region's bus services are operated by Mana Coachlines.

The regional council has been approached for comment. Uzabus could not be contacted.

Commuters faced widespread disruption as drivers held a stop-work meeting on Wednesday to vote on the strike.

Services were cancelled on 10 routes, mostly in Wellington City, from 9am until early afternoon.