SIPTU members in St James’s Hospital, Dublin, have begun a ballot for industrial action in a dispute provoked by a management attempt to impose an annual charge of up to €500 for car parking.

SIPTU Organiser, David Field, said: “Hospital workers were shocked when this charge was announced to them in the run up to Christmas without any consultation or agreement.

“SIPTU members have attended union information meetings. At these meetings over 900 signatures have been collected for a petition opposing the imposition of the car park charge.”

Willie McGuinness, a SIPTU shop steward in St James’s Hospital, said: “SIPTU members across all departments in the hospital have shown full support for the campaign to oppose this charge. We are standing together to oppose this shocking attempt to unilaterally change our conditions of employment and are demanding that management shows workers the respect we deserve.”

The ballot on industrial action is scheduled to conclude in early February.