“All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.” I am reminded of this quote from George Orwell’s book Animal Farm every time I make use of the staff car park at Mater Dei Hospital and have to fork out 47c for the privilege of using this amenity. The alternative to this would be to park the car about 10 minutes away and leave it in the scorching sun. The fee we pay as staff might seem paltry but it adds up to an annual €140.

I am not complaining about the money but at the discrimination with which this fee is applied. This fee is levied only on those in the lower pay scales (>12); the rest can park for free. The reasoning be­hind this being, I suppose, that the less you earn the more you pay. There is ample parking area in the car park, so it is not a question of restricted space.

I find this situation unfair and ultimately counter-productive. I have spoken with many of my colleagues at Mater Dei and they feel that staff should be treated equally by their employer and not blatantly discriminated by virtue of their grade. Every day I feel I have been cheated by my employer and I can assure you that this nagging feeling is far from optimal to start a day’s work. I strive to do my work to the best of my abilities because I know that every person who calls at Mater Dei has his own worries and anxieties and, sometimes, I go beyond what is expected of me in order to meet the expectations of patients.

I honestly think that the financial benefits derived by the administration from this parking fee are far outweighed by the effects it is having on the staff. One does not need to have a degree in human resources to know that a happy staff is a productive one. I know that representations have been made by the trade unions about this matter but it seems that their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

I hope the administration at Mater Dei (or the minister himself) will finally have some compassion and do away with the parking fees for all staff.

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