Parking issue at work

moneypuddle

I have been working at my current place of a employment for around three and a half years. When I first started we were in one location, bang in the centre of town and everyone had their own parking space. A few were made redundant and towards the end of 2009, we relocated to a new smaller office. This is on the absolute outskirts of town and only has limited parking (3 spaces)

Yesterday my boss told me that she wants to get rid of the parking spaces by offsetting the cost of them against our rent. This would leave me with a no space at all. There is no parking nearby that allows you to stay more than 2 hours and the nearest sensible parking option involves walking across an unlit field for approximately 15 minutes, to some nearby sites near a church. This is hardly ideal. Everyone's working patterns are different, so you could never be guaranteed to walking back to your car in pairs and having walked it for the first time today in the dark and cold at 7pm, I felt very unsafe and wary.

My boss has suggested if I'm not happy, I pay the £150/month for the parking space that she thinks she can get for it, but I genuinely cannot afford this on top of car tax, insurance, petrol etc.

I'm not sure what advice I'm after really. I just want to feel safe, but seriously cannot afford the alternative.

Sambucus_Nigra

What does everyone else do?

moneypuddle

There are only four of us in this office at the minute. The boss is collected by her husband, one guy meets his wife who works in the same building (they share her parking space) and one other girl and me are both in the same situation now - use to park at work and now told we can't

Sambucus_Nigra

Can you both pay her the yearly rate [half each], and either share the space [if working different hours] or share a lift?

moneypuddle

Thanks for responding. The three spaces we have are not spaces next to one another - the cars are lined up in front of each other - one car blocks in another, which in turn is blocked in by the third car. So we either have all 3 spaces (which would involved 3 people each committing to £150/year) or we have none unfortunately.

Sambucus_Nigra

Sorry - is it £150/month or £150/year.....you've mentioned both.

I suppose it really depends on how much she values her workforce - and how much it would cost her to recruit and train 2 more staff if you both start looking for other jobs.

moneypuddle

Eee. Sorry £150/month. I would snap her hand off if it was per year!!

cindy101

Sounds rotten for you , but im not sure any boss has to make sure you have a parking space to be a work,, iv had job where i had to use my car as i was carrying stock and couldnt get it on a bus and i had to pay £100, a week to park once i got to the shop, was £20 a day,,
so id av their hand off for £150, a month

firesidemaid

does each of you work on your own - or is there always at least two of you working at the same time?

ie. can someone give you a lift after work to where you could park your car?

mishkanorman

whilst the change in parking can be frustrating for you I cant see that its your employers job to worry about where you park. if you worked in a shopping centre would you expect your employer to provide free parking ? or an escort to and from work ?

I think your only option is to see if there is anyone who can run you to/from work

Altarf

You have three options -

1. Park 15 minutes walk away.
2. Persuade your boss to change their mind.
3. Get another job.

1. Walking across the field does not sound ideal, but surely there is an alternative route that is safer, even if it is further. Have you investigated all the other parking options. What about using the bus/train/getting a lift? It may not be great, but it might be better than option 3.

2. Are you indispensable, and would your boss change their mind if they thought you might leave?

3. This might be the ultimate solution.