Senior managers at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) have given themselves a discount on the hospital parking charges paid by all other employees, UNISON says today.
The trust came under fire earlier this year for reintroducing staff parking charges, with more than 5,000 health workers and patients signing a UNISON petition branding the fees a “pay cut.”
Staff parking charges were scrapped during the Covid pandemic, and many hospitals across England have continued to offer free parking for their employees, says the union.
MSEFT decided to bring back staff car park charges in April, setting the annual fees at 0.5% of salaries.
But a new analysis of senior managers’ pay shows that the highest-paid staff at the trust pay as little as 0.27% of their salary. This is because charges are capped at just under £670 a year, says UNISON.
It means, the chief executive officer, chief financial officer and other senior staff earning more than £133,464 a year are paying less to park, says the union.
UNISON Basildon, Southend and Mid Essex Health branch secretary Joyce Aldridge said: “Staff were already annoyed by the decision of MSEFT bosses to bring in a new ‘tax’ on coming to work.
“But it’s doubly insulting to see those same senior managers deciding to set their charges at a lower rate, effectively giving themselves a discount on parking at hospital sites.
“It’s not too late for the trust to do the right thing by its staff and reverse these charges.”
