Council withdrawing free staff car park !!!!

miss_duke

Hammyman wrote: »

Utter rubbish. It isn't a pay cut at all but it doesn't surprise me that a public sector worker sees it like that. You do not have to take it. You can use other modes of transport or park elsewhere.

:rotfl:I already said I used public transport when I didn't have free parking available.....

I actually really enjoyed it, very peaceful driving down the bus lane, no traffic and no stress!!

Now I am closer to home, I drive some days when I am doing the school run, otherwise I take my bike.

So don't assume that just because I offer the op sympathy, that I can't see both sides :T

patman99

OP, withdraw the use of your car and use public transport. When the workload starts backing-up, you will then be in a good position to negotiate for either free parking+enhanced mileage or a Council supplied vehicle.

SarEl

patman99 wrote: »

When the workload starts backing-up, you will then be in a good position to negotiate for either free parking+enhanced mileage or a Council supplied vehicle.

Or possibly even, top if the list when the next round of job cuts come.

This is the real world, and when all your colleagues have deserted your sole stand against the unfair world and parking fees in favour of common sense and convenience (to them as much as the employer), you will be the one whose performance is in question. Given what you have said about free parking and mileage rates, you have had a great run for your money - I can't think of a single council I know of that has given the top rate of mileage (and you must drive a big car to warrant 79p a mile because the rates are based on engine capacity) for over a decade and more. Many councils have never had free parking for staff, and of those that have , most have got rid of it and are charging a lot more than you are being charged.

No, it isn't easy to make ends meet, and yes, everyone is taking a hit in their standard of living. But if the cuts and pay freezes haven't yet dropped an enormous clue - the public sector is under attack, and not from a few garrulous posters here who use any opportunity to knock public sector workers. Job losses over the next three years are going to be enormous, and unless there is a lot more than an odd "day of action" nothing is going to stop the cuts. And the people who always have back-logs of work will be at the top of the list.

That said - from my experience of London, you will get around quicker on a bike than you can in the car.

ceridwen

patman99 wrote: »

OP, withdraw the use of your car and use public transport. When the workload starts backing-up, you will then be in a good position to negotiate for either free parking+enhanced mileage or a Council supplied vehicle.

I would tend to agree with this personally - though I do think that if "mileage" is sufficient to cover petrol/oil/etc on a standard size car - then its not the Council's responsibility to cover extra costs on a more expensive type of car.

The thing is, I believe, that if we all "run scared" of employers then they will go in for bigger cuts than if we stand up for ourselves a bit. Ultimately - it ISNT up to an employee to cover any of the employERs costs in any way.

So - yep...I'd stick to my bike/bus guns and, if the work DOES back up, because its not possible to get round it as fast as normal - then you will have gotten round it as fast as bike/bus will allow for - so that "backing up of work" wont be either your choice or your fault. That being the case - then I dont see how you could be penalised for it by being put "top of a hit list". If you're honestly doing the best you can to do your job to the best of your ability - then why would you be "shuffled up the queue for the door"?

SarEl

ceridwen wrote: »

So - yep...I'd stick to my bike/bus guns and, if the work DOES back up, because its not possible to get round it as fast as normal - then you will have gotten round it as fast as bike/bus will allow for - so that "backing up of work" wont be either your choice or your fault. That being the case - then I dont see how you could be penalised for it by being put "top of a hit list". If you're honestly doing the best you can to do your job to the best of your ability - then why would you be "shuffled up the queue for the door"?

Because this is the real world and "performance" is one of the critical factors in determining who gets made redundant. If redundacy selections are made, then "my bike/the bus wasn't fast enough to enable me to get the work done" won't be a defence.

londonbabe73

Pool car what pool car ???? My council has to cut 60 million in 3 years so basically some bright spark has decided to hit the employees without thinking it through !!!


Bet all the senior managers keep a free pass though , it stinks !!!

Milkshock

SarEl wrote: »

Because this is the real world and "performance" is one of the critical factors in determining who gets made redundant. If redundacy selections are made, then "my bike/the bus wasn't fast enough to enable me to get the work done" won't be a defence.

no, its much less about 'performance' more about who you do or do not get on with in the organisation.

having said that demanding free parking spaces is probably a good way of rubbing people up the wrong way......

Jarndyce

londonbabe73 wrote: »

Pool car what pool car ???? My council has to cut 60 million in 3 years so basically some bright spark has decided to hit the employees without thinking it through !!!

Bet all the senior managers keep a free pass though , it stinks !!!

Yes he's called David Cameron.

dacouch

Milkshock wrote: »

no, its much less about 'performance' more about who you do or do not get on with in the organisation.

having said that demanding free parking spaces is probably a good way of rubbing people up the wrong way......

Or taking it the wrong way when someone says at a work do "The drinks are on me"...

SarEl

Milkshock wrote: »

no, its much less about 'performance' more about who you do or do not get on with in the organisation.

having said that demanding free parking spaces is probably a good way of rubbing people up the wrong way......

So is pouring drinks over your colleagues at a works social. But it didn't seem to occur to you at the time.