Gerry Carroll MLA has slammed the recent move to charge health workers for parking, and called for free parking and public transport for health workers to be reinstated.
Speaking in his capacity as a member of the Assembly Health Committee, Mr Carroll stated:
“Forcing health workers to pay for car parking while we are still in the throes of a pandemic is an insult to those who have sacrificed so much on the frontline of the fight against Covid. This measure has been dubbed a tax on health workers wages, and I would agree with that..
“Like many other workers, healthcare staff are feeling the financial squeeze as household bills and the cost of living increase. And let’s not forget, this comes as the Stormont Executive is set to offer the same workers a measly pay offer which will represent a pay cut for many after inflation.
“The rank hypocrisy of Stormont politicians applauding frontline workers while cutting their pay and lumping them with car parking charges must end. We were told that lessons would be learned from the pandemic, but it seems the Health Minister and our Executive didn’t get the memo. Our nurses, porters, ambulance drivers, and all other health workers deserve much better.
“I am calling on the Health Minister and the wider Executive to meet trade union demands and immediately reverse this decision, and the decision to reverse free public transport for health workers.”
ENDS