In early summer, management at Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital announced that 80 staff parking spaces would be permanently removed to make way for a new Critical Care Wing and Radiology Department. The hospital framed it as progress for patients but for staff, it meant fewer spaces and soaring costs. 

Industrial officer Siobhan Curran explained that management summoned staff reps to a meeting to make the announcement, where they outlined the plan and the alternative: staff could rent spaces in nearby facilities for €3,000 to €5,000 per year.

For many, the plan wasn’t just inconvenient –it was an effective pay cut, given how much it would cost staff just to be at work.

Once the shock wore off, it was clear that complaining individually to HR or management wouldn’t change anything. Staff turned to their unions - not just one, but all unions in the hospital, representing staff across the hospital’s grades and professions: Fórsa, INMO, MLSA, SIPTU, Connect, Unite.

Siobhan said: “Staff were up in arms and reached out to their respective unions. Learning from recent industrial action at the national level and the strength of standing together, the unions at the Rotunda demanded a joint meeting with the Executive Management Team.”

On a wet afternoon in June, the unions gathered in the HR Suite across from the hospital boardroom. This wasn’t another routine meeting. They came to confront management with a hard truth: the hospital’s expansion was coming at the expense of staff.

“We were there to demand answers on what is technically a pay cut for our members. Fórsa outlined our position - that this was an illogical outcome to a positive development, unfairly burdening staff and effectively reducing their pay. We stressed that at a time of full employment in the state, recruiting and retaining qualified staff would only get harder if situations like this continued”.

The other unions reinforced the argument. This wasn’t just about money - it was about respect. The hospital could not celebrate its staff while simultaneously slapping them with a pay cut disguised as a “parking policy”. 

The unions’ demand was clear: pause the plan, consult staff, and find a fair solution. Management said they review the situation. In July, the answer came: the plan was paused, there would be no loss of 80 spaces and no astronomical fee hikes. The status quo would remain.

On the surface, it might seem like a narrow issue - just a car park. But workers at the Rotunda know better. According to Siobhan, this was a lesson in collective action.

“The car parking issue has activated members and brought new reps to the fore. A new Fórsa committee will be formed in the hospital as a result. We look forward to working with this committee in the coming months to ensure we are prepared to tackle future issues together, stronger. This is a small win with big lessons. When workers unite around everyday issues, we can start to turn the balance of power in the workplace on its head,” she concluded.

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