Staff banned from parking in Jetland

RhubarbCrumble

http://www.live95fm.ie/News-Sport/Article/?ItemID=14368

Anybody have any idea why Dunnes are doing this? A couple of friends of mine work there and have said they don't know where they're going to park now. Apparently company sales rep have been told that they're not going to be allowed to park there either.
Cars rarely seem to park outside there and even the underground is never that busy. Just doesn't seem very logical.

sumtings

2.8 Parking space provided in a 'customer' car park
Where the availability of a parking space to an employee is in a car-park which is normally available to, or reserved for, customers, the levy will generally apply. For example, the levy will apply in circumstances where the employer is providing the parking spaces and an employee is given a dedicated parking space or the availability of a space to the employee is on a first-come – first-server basis.


http://www.revenue.ie/en/business/paye/guide/employers-guide-paye-levy.html#section2.3



Could this be it?

sumtings

Trying to find if its considered in a parking levy area but cant find anything stating it.

was the charge ever introduced?

RhubarbCrumble

No, it's free parking there. I could understand if staff were taking over the car park and not leaving any space for customers, but that doesn't seem to be the case either.

Clareman

I'd imagine the owners of the estate charge Dunnes for car parking space usage or something like that, Dunnes don't want to have to pay for their staff, they are ok with paying for their customers. If ~100 people work in Dunnes, allowing for shift patterns and stuff, that would be ~20 people at any time, allow for half of those driving to work, that's 10 spaces taken up at all times, Dunnes would probably be charged for those spaces by the park owners.

In a lot of places all the parking spaces closed to the doors are taken by staff, Tesco in Ennis is a great example of this.

MarkR

Clareman wrote: »

I'd imagine the owners of the estate charge Dunnes for car parking space usage or something like that, Dunnes don't want to have to pay for their staff, they are ok with paying for their customers. If ~100 people work in Dunnes, allowing for shift patterns and stuff, that would be ~20 people at any time, allow for half of those driving to work, that's 10 spaces taken up at all times, Dunnes would probably be charged for those spaces by the park owners.

In a lot of places all the parking spaces closed to the doors are taken by staff, Tesco in Ennis is a great example of this.

Like the white polo in coonagh in the parent and child spaces!

RhubarbCrumble

Clareman wrote: »

I'd imagine the owners of the estate charge Dunnes for car parking space usage or something like that,

Apparently Dunnes Jetland own the car park, where as Dunnes in Parkway and Childers Rd don't.

Clareman

MarkR wrote: »

Like the white polo in coonagh in the parent and child spaces!

I wouldn't like to speak on specific incidents, but you'll always spot the same cars in the same spaces almost every day, Tesco in Ennis is a great example and amazes me, it has 1 of the worst laid out/organised car parks I've ever seen and the spaces nearest the doors are always taken, the whole car park could be empty and those spaces would still be taken.

Between that and people parking there for GAA matches mean that it's almost impossible to park there sometimes, especially on Saturdays.

Anyway, majorily off topic/forum, back a bit on topic, I'd imagine Dunnes got a notice from the landlord looking for money for parking spaces being taken up, they might have fought it or questioned it or had a warning about it, so have to be seen to do something about it. That car park is always nearly empty, I'd imagine it wouldn't be worth the landlords time to pay for a car park attendant, Dunnes have their bit done by telling their staff not to park there and can argue with their landlord that it's not their staff.

Clareman

RhubarbCrumble wrote: »

Apparently Dunnes Jetland own the car park, where as Dunnes in Parkway and Childers Rd don't.

I read that completely wrong, I took it that the Jetland was the only 1 affected as they didn't own the car park.

rainbowdash

I'd hazard a guess there are 2 sides to this story. Wouldn't surprise me if Dunnes just don't want staff parking in the prime areas. This may apply to bank of Ireland, McDonalds and all the other retail outlets as Dunnes own the whole lot.

There is plenty of parking in the outer fringes of the complex that I have never seen a car in, yet parking is always scarce around the bank in particular.

bazz26

Could they not park across the road in the retail park where Showtime and Woodies are located or is that place owned by the same landlord?

sumtings

seems ther is another thread in legal discussion

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=83697034

krudler

bazz26 wrote: »

Could they not park across the road in the retail park where Showtime and Woodies are located or is that place owned by the same landlord?

Told not to park there either apparently, bizarre thing from Dunnes, that carpark is always half empty even at peak times, even if the staff are taking the ones closest the door, so what? its not like you've to walk miles the place isnt that big.

krudler

CrazyChick18 wrote: »

I work in this dunnes in Jetland and we were just told out of blue not aloud park there and our cars would get clamped and the next day all the other retail units were told they are not allowed park there either.

We are not allowed park in woodies/show time/lidl/Ivan's

sure how they expecting you to get to and from work? there's nowhere else to park out there bar that area and lidl/supermacs.

did they give a reason? and how they gonna know every staff members car anyway?

rainbowdash

krudler wrote: »

sure how they expecting you to get to and from work? there's nowhere else to park out there bar that area and lidl/supermacs.

did they give a reason? and how they gonna know every staff members car anyway?

Plenty of on street parking in the housing estates around, but it is a walk to Dunnes from any of these.

Seems a bit daft given there is plenty of parking in the more remote parts of the complex.

Clareman

Hopefully both sides will see sense and just have a specific place for the staff to park, furtherest from the doors or something, I'm sure there are some spaces there that have never been used.

lkionm

Dunnes own the place, all those stores in Jetland closed because Dunnes wanted more rent money. They were all doing fairly decent year on year sales.

Not exactly the greatest record of treating the people who make them money and use their land well, they should just stick with selling food.

bazz26

I shop there regularly and it's not as if the place is ever full but I'm considering boycoting the place now to be honest.

ninty9er

The first thing that came to mind when I heard this was Dunnes' challenge to the Revenue bill for sale of plastic bags.

Odds on its tax related.

Poxyshamrock

sumtings wrote: »

2.8 Parking space provided in a 'customer' car park
Where the availability of a parking space to an employee is in a car-park which is normally available to, or reserved for, customers, the levy will generally apply. For example, the levy will apply in circumstances where the employer is providing the parking spaces and an employee is given a dedicated parking space or the availability of a space to the employee is on a first-come – first-server basis.


http://www.revenue.ie/en/business/paye/guide/employers-guide-paye-levy.html#section2.3

Could this be it?

Even if this was the case, wouldn't it be the employees paying the levy anyway and not Dunnes?

wingnut

CrazyChick18 wrote: »

That is what we all would love to know how we are going to get to work, we are working with union at the moment.

No reason at all, apparently there will be there a clamper and if a car is there for more than 2 hours will get clamped makes no sense because there could be a customer shopping for that long.

Better not go to a long movie in Showtime either!

Kess73

Seems a ridiculous decision based on what can be seen from the outside.

So if I go to the Hobbit for example I run the risk of my car being clamped simply because the film I am paying to see is longer than two hours?

Or I go to have a coffee in the Jetland centre and then do my shopping in Dunnes I risk being clamped if I go over two hours?

As a consumer who actually shops in that Dunnes the answer would be very easy for me. I just spend my money in a different cinema and don't spend any money in any store with a Dunnes link and as a consumer be sure to let anyone in my circle know of the risk involved of shopping in the Jetland if you intend on spending two hours in that centre. I'm sure Superquin/Tesco/Storm/Omniplex will have no problem with me parking my car outside their stores if I am spending money in them.

Berty

As a sales rep I find this a little disconcerting but Jetland is one of the places I avoid anyway.

I was in a Dunnes this morning in Galway and told to wear a hi viz over my suit on the shop floor. I asked where they kept them and I was told I need to buy my own so I left instead.

Not every Dunnes has the same rules and I use the jacket thig as example but the parking one is really weird. That car park is never full not even on GAA match day(where the clamper will make a killing).

Enforcing penal rules will only drive customers away to Tesco and fill up the supermacs car park.

thesimpsons

they do have a very minor problem of people parking cars there all day (possible car pool people I always felt) but its so minor and the car park is so empty 100% of the time, its a bit strange. In the crescent I think staff have to park in the outer car parks well away from the doors but it doesn't sound like Dunnes even want that. just hope staff don't start parking in neighbouring estates, bad enough having to put up with students from LIT

Berty

There are no signs in the upper car park other than a big one by te bank saying set down only. So as far as I'm concerned its still business as usual.

thesimpsons

i wondered if the original planning application permit would have had a ruling on parking spaces for staff so staff wouldn't be taking up scarce street parking in the area

RhubarbCrumble

Beer Baron wrote: »

There are no signs in the upper car park other than a big one by te bank saying set down only. So as far as I'm concerned its still business as usual.

My friend's a rep too Beer Baron. He said there's a sign up in goods inwards saying that from next week reps and merchandisers are not permitted to park there. Absolutely ridiculous. The majority of them want to get in and out as fast as possible, so it's unlikely that they'd be in there much longer than two hours anyway.

Kess73

RhubarbCrumble wrote: »

My friend's a rep too Beer Baron. He said there's a sign up in goods inwards saying that from next week reps and merchandisers are not permitted to park there. Absolutely ridiculous. The majority of them want to get in and out as fast as possible, so it's unlikely that they'd be in there much longer than two hours anyway.

Where are the reps and merchandisers supposed to park then? Are they meant to park in one of the housing estates and carry their product/signage from there?

RhubarbCrumble

Kess73 wrote: »

Where are the reps and merchandisers supposed to park then? Are they meant to park in one of the housing estates and carry their product/signage from there?

That's what they're all wondering Kess. Apparently they weren't actually told anything, they've just seen the sign put up.

rainbowdash

Beer Baron wrote: »

As a sales rep I find this a little disconcerting but Jetland is one of the places I avoid anyway.

I was in a Dunnes this morning in Galway and told to wear a hi viz over my suit on the shop floor. I asked where they kept them and I was told I need to buy my own so I left instead.

Not every Dunnes has the same rules and I use the jacket thig as example but the parking one is really weird. That car park is never full not even on GAA match day(where the clamper will make a killing).

Enforcing penal rules will only drive customers away to Tesco and fill up the supermacs car park.

Now that's complete madness!

I can understand employees to park out near the fringes but these seem draconian.

Boots234

Could they not designate an area in the outer fringes of the underground carpark specifically for the employees?

Pumpkinseeds

Wonder what on earth is going on with Dunnes policies these days. First they ban animal charities from doing bag packs and then ignore the online petitions asking for that decision to be overturned. Nobody who has emailed them or written to them on that has received a response and now they won't allow their own staff to park in the car park

Stellaluna

thesimpsons wrote: »

they do have a very minor problem of people parking cars there all day (possible car pool people I always felt) but its so minor and the car park is so empty 100% of the time, its a bit strange. In the crescent I think staff have to park in the outer car parks well away from the doors but it doesn't sound like Dunnes even want that. just hope staff don't start parking in neighbouring estates, bad enough having to put up with students from LIT

I have to admit that I'm an LIT student and I would typically park in Dunnes, I stick to the outer fringe area spaces though. I figured, like others, that since the carpark is rarely full I'm not inconveniencing anyone. It's also probably better than parking in the housing estates/on the street when the LIT car park is full. I regularly shop in Dunnes/Woodies and go to the cinema after college so I didn't feel too bad about it. I'll be parking somewhere else from now on for sure. Can't believe they're doing this to the staff and contractors, surely they could designate an area of the carpark as others have suggested.

langdang

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Wonder what on earth is going on with Dunnes policies these days. First they ban animal charities from doing bag packs ...

In fairness, dogs are not known for their bag packing skills. Don't talk to me about cats. That said, if a labrador made a half decent effort I'd certainly donate more than if it was scouts or whatever. :pac:

Seriously though, just animal charities? As for the other stuff - very very strange.

lkionm

thesimpsons wrote: »

they do have a very minor problem of people parking cars there all day (possible car pool people I always felt) but its so minor and the car park is so empty 100% of the time, its a bit strange. In the crescent I think staff have to park in the outer car parks well away from the doors but it doesn't sound like Dunnes even want that. just hope staff don't start parking in neighbouring estates, bad enough having to put up with students from LIT

You can be a bold boy and can park downstairs, just not in the delivery areas or you might get a sticker. The security can be awful pedantic at times when they are bored or when the managers are around but wouldnt go from car to car trying to determine if it was a customers or not.

KevLeppard

But WHY should the staff park on the outskirts of the shopping centre????? Surely the staff have as much right to park near the front of a shopping centre as a customer. Dont know why a staff member should surrender a parking space that is close to the entrance to a customer. In fairness the staff spend much more time in the shopping centre than any customer.

cackhanded

KevLeppard wrote: »

But WHY should the staff park on the outskirts of the shopping centre????? Surely the staff have as much right to park near the front of a shopping centre as a customer. Dont know why a staff member should surrender a parking space that is close to the entrance to a customer. In fairness the staff spend much more time in the shopping centre than any customer.

In fairness the customers spend much more money in the shopping centre than any staff. That's why.

thesimpsons

and if customers can't park relatively near to the doors, then they may go elsewhere to shop. staff wouldn't usually leave a job that gives them free parking near their workplace cos they can't park close to the door.

langdang

thesimpsons wrote: »

and if customers can't park relatively near to the doors, then they may go elsewhere to shop. staff wouldn't usually leave a job that gives them free parking near their workplace cos they can't park close to the door.

Ha! The cheek of them, coming in taking things off the shelf. Kev is right, customers should feel privileged to be allowed in there at all.

(sarcasm of course, not meant to suggest that the staff view customers in this way, just kev. I sympathise with the staff having to deal with policies like these)

Berty

I agree that it would be very irresponsible of the staff to hoarse the good parking in Jetland. There's loads of parking there and if thu were restricted to the lower section outside(behind the bank) then it still would be near the shop.

Look at the crescent. Most cars by the library are staff cars right in front of the door. Same cars every single day. They're great spaces and they're definitely hoarding them. Then again the rent is so damn high out there it kind of gives me a reason to park where they want.

Other areas are just beyond the new ramp entrance where the old garden centre was, behind next and that little fenced off area by the library.

Even Christmas week there are free spaces at both shopping centres so its weird Jetland are pursuing this.

krudler

The jetland or crescent aren't THAT big, any time I've gone to the jetland I've never had to walk more than 50 feet or even less to the door, its not exactly a long haul in fairness, so its not like staff cars are ever an issue. same as the crescent, christmas is the only time parking is hard there, any other times theres tons of free spaces.

JamesBond2010

That Jetland is a dive.there is nothing there only dunnes & few other shops.That place is dying a slow death. the underground carpark is never full along with the top part.The state of the road is a joke.

CrazyChick18

cackhanded wrote: »

In fairness the customers spend much more money in the shopping centre than any staff. That's why.

That's not right at all us staff in there buy our lunches in dunnes on a daily basis and a lot of the staff do there weekly shop aswell so we just spend as much money.

cackhanded

CrazyChick18 wrote: »

That's not right at all us staff in there buy our lunches in dunnes on a daily basis and a lot of the staff do there weekly shop aswell so we just spend as much money.

The point is that the convenience of the customer is more important than the convenience of the staff. If customers cannot get convenient parking they may well choose to go to a rival supermarket. Staff who leave because they cannot park right outside the door are easily replaced.

CrazyChick18

cackhanded wrote: »

The point is that the convenience of the customer is more important than the convenience of the staff. If customers cannot get convenient parking they may well choose to go to a rival supermarket. Staff who leave because they cannot park right outside the door are easily replaced.

But if you see the size of this car park no customer has ever to walk loads to get into shop and where the staff park is completely out of the way so that's what we the staff are on about.

Berty

From your most recent reply I'm getting that management have done this because staff are getting greedy with the spaces nearest to the door.

Customers DO take priority and it doesn't matter how much staff spend in there, you're still staff so not the stores priority.

If you think the customers don't have far to walk then why don't you just walk that little bit further if its not an issue?

fl4pj4ck

I don't see where the problem is, it's the owner good will whether they allow people to park or not. Of course it's handy for the staff to be allowed to park there, but if it is ask nicely to add it to your contracts.

HattieMcDoogal

CrazyChick18 wrote: »

That's not right at all us staff in there buy our lunches in dunnes on a daily basis and a lot of the staff do there weekly shop aswell so we just spend as much money.

You wouldn't really though if you look at it from the potential money a parking space could bring in. If you say work a 40 hr week and spend €100 on your weekly shop plus let say €5 a day on your lunch that's €125 per 40 hour week. That parking spot is bringing in roughly €3 per hour.

Now say a customer does their weekly shop, it takes them an hour to do a €100 shop. Over 40 hours that parking space could be occupied by 40 different customers. At €100 an hour that space will bring in €4,000 in 40hrs. So that's €4,000 from customers versus an employee's €125 in the same time frame.

Don't get me wrong, employees should be allowed to park somewhere in the car park. I just see why they are (in The Crescent etc) not allowed park at the spots closest the door.

ETA: I say all this as someone who used to work in 'old' Jetland and cycled to/from work.

Bicycle

I use Jetland regularly and I can see both sides of the story.

On the one hand I believe that staff should be allowed to park in the car park. Its vast. And there is plenty of space for everyone.

BUT I have seen staff parking their cars in the child friendly spaces near the old Costa Coffee Shop. I have a child on the autistic spectrum who went through a phase of "bolting" - just running out without looking or heeding any traffic. On a number of occasions I tried to park there but found staff in Dunnes uniform sitting in their cars. So I ended up having to park in a situation where I had to cross the road meaning I had to grab on to the child tightly and be extra vigilant. And I will not park in a disabled spot because my child is not sufficiently restricted by their disability to justify taking the spot of someone more incapacitated than my child. But the child friendly spots are ideal - or were ideal when we were going through the bolting stage. Thankfully we've passed through it.

I think there should be an area away from the main parking areas where staff could leave their cars. An area where there are generally no customers parking.

Similarly with car poolers. I am sure car poolers will often pop in to Dunnes at the end of the day and do their shopping. So why not allow them park in the more distant areas of the car park where they are not inconveniencing the regular shoppers.

Its a lovely car park, there's room for everyone. Sensible solutions could make everyone happy.

Clareman

Mrs. Clareman used to go into the Jetland to do some shopping, I mentioned it to her about staff not being allowed park their any more and she said "good, at least I won't have to go through a load of smoke or fag butts to go shopping anymore", she noticed that a lot of staff sit in their cars to smoke, as it's an underground car park this means that the smoke lingers a lot more, I can't say I ever noticed it but it's not like she's overly sensitive to smoke or anything.

vkid

Clareman wrote: »

Mrs. Clareman used to go into the Jetland to do some shopping, I mentioned it to her about staff not being allowed park their any more and she said "good, at least I won't have to go through a load of smoke or fag butts to go shopping anymore", she noticed that a lot of staff sit in their cars to smoke, as it's an underground car park this means that the smoke lingers a lot more, I can't say I ever noticed it but it's not like she's overly sensitive to smoke or anything.

I dunno, I'm in the Jetland a fair bit and I have never ever encountered a problem with smoke or smokers in either the underground or overground car park...rarely even see someone smoking in the underground part never mind smoke lingering in a well ventilated car park..