ABOUT 150 Sunbus drivers have picketed outside their depot this morning to protest planned pay changes which they say will fail to keep pace with inflation.

Drivers, who are paid less than $20 an hour, rallied to mark the start of a 24 hour strike from 4.30am today to 4.30am Saturday.

The strike action, which is expected to affect about 12,000 commuters, has been condemned by Sunbus' parent company.

But union delegates have told the Daily that drivers simply want pay increases to keep up with inflation - without having hard-won penalty rates stripped away from them.

The strike action is affecting about 28 bus routes today - but does not affect the Buslink school bus services.

Sunbus had hoped to avoid the industrial action which was called by the Transport Workers Union.

The TWU wants an annual 4% wage increase for drivers under separate enterprise agreements.

Outgoing TWU state secretary Hughie Williams admitted that the planned action would prove “very difficult” for commuters, but insisted employers were to blame.

Mr Williams said they wanted drivers back on award pay rates, which would result in them receiving less money.

“Those people in the bus industry carry out a difficult job, a responsible job, and they should be adequately rewarded for the duties that they perform,” he said.

Employer group spokeswoman Megan Harkin said the company's drivers were among the best paid in Australia.

Transit Australia Group said normal services will resume from 4:30 am Saturday December 11.

Megan Harkin, General Manager, Strategic Planning and Delivery said Sunbus and Translink continue to put every effort into notifying customers of the strike.

“ TAG staff are visiting stops throughout the network informing customers who missed prior notices. Our regular customers were told directly of the strike yesterday,” she said.

“ TWU representatives have been quoted in the media over the past week with inconsistent and inaccurate claims. These claims reflect a confused and misinformed Union position.

“ Strike action is absolutely unnecessary and only delays negotiations. The TWU should be focussing their efforts on working with us in a professional manner and we encourage them to do so urgently.

“ The EBA process requires TAG to meet a BOOT test (Better Off Overall Test) which means we need to demonstrate to Fair Work Australia (FWA) that collectively, our employees’ Enterprise Agreements, ensure they are better off than being on the Award.

“ Adherence to the BOOT test means that it is simply not possible for an unfair agreement to be tabled. There is a stringent framework within which we negotiate, one that is highly regulated, and that we comply with completely, Ms Harkin said.