Workers gathered at the main intersection leading into the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre at noon on Thursday. They had their signs. They were chanting: ‘No way. We won’t pay.’
The imposition of car parking charges on relatively low-paid retail workers at Liffey Valley has become national news. The retail park was designed to be chiefly accessible by car. The charges came without genuine consultation and will leave workers with 10% less take home pay, and in the case of some workers much more. This workers’ issue clearly needs immediate resolution before the system takes effect and prices rise.
The average employee will give far more to Liffey Valley property owner, Hines, than any occasional shopper over the course of any year. Fees set to exceed €600 annually for many. And there aren’t enough spaces. Employees will be forced to use customer parking increasing the cost of this new work expense. Workers say the parking bill could be over 2000 per year.
Employers are not defending their employees. Some protestors were repeating reports of some retail worker unions suggesting workers should not join the protests. On the other hand, Mandate Trade Union, who represent retail workers, and have an overwhelmingly female membership, just came out clearly on the side of the workers. They have a new campaign petitioning to scrap the charges (see below).
People Before Profit reps have been supporting workers with frequent visits to march and protest with the workers. Local councillor Madeleine Johansson and TD Gino Kenny have written and spoken in support. Even the Taoieseach finds Hines’ imposition ‘difficult to comprehend’. What do the workers have to say?
Staff and supporters protest imposed parking charges at Hines Dublin shopping centre, Liffey Valley.
STAFF SPEAK OUT
People Before Profit spoke to the workers to get more details. Staff were happy to talk but all requested that their names be changed so that they don’t suffer repercussions from store management who may face questions from Hines’ Liffey Valley facility management.
Noelle is an experienced retail staffer who immediately brought up new staff and the high turnover that has become the norm in many shops:
‘What about the new trainees who are coming in for training and don’t have access. Just to get to work on those first days they could be paying as much as 75 euro a week. That’s just to get trained. Who is representing them?’
The workers are also concerned for how the changes are affecting customers.
Ed said, ‘They are saying the paid system is easy to use. Maybe. If you have a card, and you are used to cashless. But this is a big change for a lot of OAPs who just want to use cash. And their pensions are not getting bigger. And if they need to get a taxi? Where are the taxis now? They’ve been pushed all the way out there. They just aren’t thinking.’
In terms of the workers who are in the centre 5-7 days a week Ed noted a worrying lack of spaces.
‘If you look at the number of shops and staff needed you’ll see there’s about 1200 people who are here to work over a given day from cleaners and security, to managers and staff, full-time and part-time. Weekends (there) are even more. And how many spaces are provided for all the staff? 540.’
‘It’s not enough. It’s hard enough getting out here. You could get out here and find there’s no room left. Especially on weekend days if you are starting mid-day to close. So then what do you do? Use customer parking? That’s more expensive.’
Noelle talked about the way facilities management provided free tea and coffee for folks arriving early at the first day of staff parking: ‘But it’s free parking we want, not free tea and coffee.’
Dara agreed management was trying to spin positives from a situation which was clearly a case of owners exploiting workers who didn’t even work for them. ‘They say there’s been good uptake of employee parking. Well yeah!’ she laughs ‘People are forced. We have no choice!’
Hazel told us ‘I got here at 8:30 yesterday. There were 3 spaces.’
Niamh had a different pair of issues. ‘First, look they are starting this on Monday and you can’t use the footpath. So we have to walk in the road. And it’s dark when I arrive – and when I leave it’s dark too! We have a special entrance for staff. It’s not in a really well lit area. I don’t feel safe leaving at 10pm like I do sometimes, especially in the winter with the snow. And people come out of work some times and find their car has been messed with. It’s not good enough.’
Customers are trying to use the new systems. It’s not easy for everyone. So special short-term staff and security have been taken on to get customers used to paying to visit the shops. But staff are saying no one wants to pay more, and with the cost of living crisis deepening, no one really can.
Workers said the new charges are not workable for them and not fair, and People Before Profit agree. We support the workers.
What can you do?
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Join the staff protest on Sunday 12-2pm (23/10/2022)
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See the workers’ Facebook page for more information.
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Sign the workers’ petition organised by Mandate, the retail workers’ trade union, here: https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/scrap-staff-parking-charges-for-liffey-valley-workers?
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Join your trade union / Ask your trade union to publicise and support the campaign.
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Write to Hines and tell them to scrap the charges at Liffey Valley.
South Dublin County Cllr. Madeleine Johansson and Gino Kenny TD PBP at Liffey Valley