‘Paying to work’: health workers clap back against staff parking cost increases
A new petition is calling for all of Alberta’s health and hospital workers to be exempt from parking payment rules inside health facilities.
It comes after a recent staff parking cost increase has upset hundreds of Alberta Health Services (AHS) employees.
“Now we’re paying $15 a day just to work, which is kind of ridiculous to me,” petition creator Nicola Mulder said. “And a lot of us here are not happy with that.”
Mulder works as a nurse at Foothills Medical Centre.
She says many of her coworkers are upset about the bump, which resulted in an increase of about 3.3 per cent.
They believe they shouldn’t have to pay anything for parking as they work to save lives.
And for many just like Mulder, transportation alternatives like transit aren’t always an option with unusual shift hours.
“Most of us nurses or other workers, we have to pull 16 hour shifts or get mandated to stay, and then we completely forget about parking,” she told CTV News. “So we end up getting a ticket on top of paying $15, which isn’t great.”
Mulder believes patients shouldn’t be forced to pay, either. Her union VP agrees.
“Health care shouldn’t be about making money off your clients or your staff,” AUPE’s Bonnie Gostola said. “This is not how we should be doing business.”
BUSINESS DECISION: AHS
But the decision, according to the Health Minister, is entirely rooted in business.
“Inflation is hitting Alberta Health Services as well in maintaining those parkades and in making sure they’re able to build new ones as the need arises,” Adriana Lagrange said.
An internal staff memos adds that the “increases are necessary to ensure the safety and long-term sustainability of AHS parking,” which is required to be financially self-sustaining.
But Mulder argues at $15 a vehicle, the frequently-full lots are pulling in enough money as is.
She calls it a cash grab — as does her union, which says the issue could come up in the next round of contract bargaining.
But changes without threats don’t seem likely. In fact, AHS has pledged to review parking rates annually to ensure “they are aligned with local markets.”
It says adjustments will be made “as needed.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.