Parking at work.

Skillerious

Hey all, first post

Hope this is in the right topic. I have been working as a security guard for a benefits office in Northern Ireland for just over 4 years now, and I have always used the on site parking as has all the other guards have been doing. Yesterday our boss was visiting to have a meeting with the premises manager to discuss his petty reports of us leaving the floor to use the restrooms and drinking water on the public floor etc... My boss called the premises manager out on his pettiness and as a result he has revoked our access to park on site. He (premises manager) spurted something to do with "contractors are no longer able to use the car park" we asked for clarification as we have alot of work contractors using the parking to carry out maintenance on the building, his response was it only applies to security. We have taken to parking outside the barrier (and outside the premises managers duristicion) a place he has tried telling us not to park but we refuse as we are not blocking access. Is he allowed to remove parking privileges just because he wants too?

[Deleted User]

Yes they are. Unless you have an employment contract that specifys parking you have no right to a space.

Skillerious

Thank you for the quick reply, the policy is first come first serve in the premises managers poster he has had made for the front desk. apart from designated spots for upper management (which is 7 spaces) the carpark as a whole has 120 space and is never full, I think the most cars that have used the carpark is 80 . But is him not saying all contractors are not allowed to park in the carpark then saying it only applies to security not descriminating against the security?

Savvy_Sue

Also there are situations where parking outside the employer's premises doesn't necessarily make it 'not their business'. A common example is universities, who respond to complaints from local residents about staff and students parking in residential areas by making it a disciplinary offence to do so.

It's a tricky one, because presumably the premises manager is responsible for the security of the building, and there may need to be a discussion about how this is maintained if you need to leave the floor for a loo break. However I'd have thought this discussion needs to take place between your manager and the premises manager, and you need to work out who is in charge of where you park.

Savvy_Sue

Skillerious wrote: »

But is him not saying all contractors are not allowed to park in the carpark then saying it only applies to security not descriminating against the security?

Well, it may be so, but 'security' isn't one of the protected characteristics which it's illegal to discriminate against.

ohreally

Unionised?

Les79

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Also there are situations where parking outside the employer's premises doesn't necessarily make it 'not their business'. A common example is universities, who respond to complaints from local residents about staff and students parking in residential areas by making it a disciplinary offence to do so.

Funny you used a university as an example. I often found that they were very very petty with stuff they could influence, but very lax wth things they can't really control (the residential parking).


For example: I got into trouble twice with my university because I parked a motorbike in the far corner of their car park, not blocking anyone's access to anything. It was literally not a problem for ANYONE, more so given said university didn't provide motorbike parking spaces. Still got a petty note on the bike, and the time after that a visit from the police "asking" me to move it.


OP's situation is probably similar, manager being a bit anal and OP being respectable in terms of recognising where they can park and which won't cause an access issue.


Unfortunately, as you go on to say, there probably isn't much in the way of recourse. OP does need to be aware of the possible anal behaviour resulting from their current parking arrangements and gauge whether it is a good shout to park further afield from now on.


Could also maybe raise a grievance and put some heat onto this manager. Get this issue on the radar of the manager's manager and ask the question as to why they are being treated less favourably here.

Brynsam

Les79 wrote: »

Could also maybe raise a grievance and put some heat onto this manager. Get this issue on the radar of the manager's manager and ask the question as to why they are being treated less favourably here.

These are contractors - the grievance procedure is only open to employees.

Savvy_Sue

Brynsam wrote: »

These are contractors - the grievance procedure is only open to employees.

That's something I'm not clear about from the OP's post: I suspect they ARE contracted to provide this service, and that the Premises Manager and the OP's manager work for different employers, but it's not entirely clear.

The way I read it is that the OP does not report to the Premises Manager, BUT the Premises Manager has a responsibility to ensure that the security staff are providing a certain level of service. The PM is not satisfied with certain aspects, and is making this clear. The OP's manager disagrees with the PM, and is making THAT clear, so the PM is retaliating by making life difficult for the security staff. What that achieves is open to question, but it appears the PM can make life difficult for the security staff.

TELLIT01

It looks like a petty squabble which has got out of hand, but the reality is that nobody has a right to park in a company car park unless it is in their contract. As the OP would seem to work for a 3rd party, it is up to management at that company to sort things out.

[Deleted User]

End of the day most employers employ you, they don't care how you get there just that you can get there (most of the time anyway) and therefore car parking doesn't come into it, if its their carpark they can dictate who uses it, and when and why. They just care you can get to work to do your job.