A dispute over attempts by management at St Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin to charge staff €700 a year for using a multi-storey car-park was yesterday referred to the Labour Relations Commission.
Management is seeking the fee from staff who are unable to avail of a limited number of free car-parking spaces, or other spaces provided by the hospital some distance away in Donnybrook. Parking has been €10 a year to staff until now.
Mr Philip McAnenly, the Irish Nurses' Organisation representative at the hospital, said a meeting with management yesterday had resulted in no progress.
"We made a proposal for management to restore the status quo to allow proper consultation. That was rejected flatly," he said.
Management at the hospital said the car-parking places were being offered to staff "far below their economic cost, representing a substantial subsidy from the hospital".
A spokesman said that there was no obligation on staff to accept the offer, but that the charge represented a daily fee of less than €3 a day.
Mr McAnenly said, however, that many nurses were parking on double yellow lines and then having to leave bedsides during the day to move their cars around so as to try and avoid the charges. This was compromising patient care, he added.
Hospital management said it was "disappointed with the reaction of the INO to this offer of subsidised car parking. It must be emphasised that no-one is obliged to accept this offer.
"It is hoped that the behaviour of a few will not disrupt the availability of this subsidised car parking to other staff who have indicated their willingness to accept it," a spokesman said.
