Concord Hospital staff walk out over free parking row

More than 100 Concord Hospital staff have walked off the job for an hour on Wednesday as frustrations mount after Premier Chris Minns scrapped free parking for healthcare workers.

More than 100 Concord Hospital staff have walked off the job for an hour on Wednesday as frustrations mount after Premier Chris Minns scrapped free parking for healthcare workers.

Dozens of the hospital’s psychologists, scientists, theatre technicians, cleaners and security stopped work from 1pm, to protest the reintroduction of parking permits of $27.20 per week.

Pay slips from January 2020 seen by The Daily Telegraph show the new parking fees at Concord Hospital have more than doubled, with staff previously paying only $12 per week.

Staff parking was made free at hospitals around NSW since the pandemic, but from February healthcare workers at 16 metropolitan hospitals will be required to pay for parking again.

It is understood one of the main reasons NSW Health scrapped the free parking was due to patients being unable to find available parking close to the hospital.

In one such instance the Health Ministry was made aware of a 91-year-old man and his 90-year-old wife who were unable to find parking at Wollongong Hospital on multiple occasions, being forced to walk long distances, uphill to the hospital.

Concord Hospital workers went on strike for an hour today to protest a $2600 hike in annual parking costs. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

The Ministry has also received multiple complaints about illegal parking around homes in hospital vicinities due to lack of parking options.

A spokesperson for NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said feedback from the community has “raised concerns free parking for all staff at metro hospitals is crowding out patients and carers from accessing parking”.

Premier Chris Minns said he knew some people would not be happy with the decision to bring back parking fees. Picture: Monique Harmer

Yet Health Services Union boss Gerard Hayes said the move away from free parking would see frontline workers forking out more than $2600 in parking fees per year.

“At a time when cost of living pressures are hitting hard, charging staff $2600 to simply turn up at work is outrageous and morally bankrupt,” he said.

“Concord Hospital staff, like health workers around the nation, worked tirelessly to keep the

community safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Plunging them into financial distress by slapping them with extortionate parking fees is no way to say thanks.

Concord Hospital workers strike. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“Hospital executives need to take a hard look in the mirror, stop treating staff as cash cows and reconsider these excessive rates.”

Protesters march past construction for a new car park. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

The HSU is calling for Concord Hospital management to either make parking free or bring fees down to pre-Covid prices.

HSU member Rasna Palanchoke, who works in administration at Concord Hospital, said most of the hospital staff were on long waiting lists to get a parking permit and those without will it would be forced to pay $11 per day for parking near the hospital.

Concord Hospital workers say the rise in parking costs negates their hard-won pay rises. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“The parking fees are a 127 per cent increase in what we paid pre-Covid, it’s just ridiculous,” she said.

“There’s no transparency in the parking permit waitlist – I’ve been waiting for almost two years now.”

Concord Hospital workers on strike. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Another member, Naveen Singh, who delivers bedding linen and hospital supplies to wards, said he had been on the parking permit waitlist at Concord Hospital for seven years.

Mr Singh said getting public transport to the hospital is difficult, as he starts work at 5am.

Concord Hospital workers on strike. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“It’s just an extra cost, I’m having to pay nearly $700 a fortnight for childcare, then rent and groceries and now parking – I’m left with nothing by the end of the week,” he said.

Premier Minns said on Wednesday the money being collected from parking fees was being guided towards improving pay and conditions for essential workers.

“It was always meant to be a Covid measure and we have to take into consideration family and patients in major public hospitals as well as those entering into these major facilities,” he said.

“I appreciate it’s not perfect and there’ll be people who are not happy with the government’s decision but there’s reasons why we had to make that tough call.”

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Originally published as Concord Hospital staff walk out over free parking row