Union chiefs join clamour for SNP to scrap tax on workers’parking AXE THE SNP CAR PARK TAX
Deputy Scottish Political Editor PLANS to impose a workplace parking levy have been condemned by Scotland’s union chiefs. The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) yesterday urged the government to scrap their plans which could see people forced to pay nearly £500 a year just for driving to work.
As the backlash against the tax grows, union bosses accused the SNP of attempting to charge workers a ‘premium’ just for doing their job.
Yesterday, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said the levy would be yet another burden faced by hardpublic, working Scots.
The new tax is the result of a Budget deal between Finance Secretary Derek Mackay and the Greens.
Mr Mackay has agreed to back a Green Party amendment to the Transport (Scotland) Bill which will give councils the power to introduce the levy.
Companies with 11 or more parking spaces would be forced to pay the levy, with the option to pass the charge on to staff.
Three councils – Scottish Borders, North Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway – have ruled out imposing the levy.
Yesterday the STUC, which has 39 affiliated unions and over 600,000 members, joined the backlash.
Mr Smith, said: ‘As the Scottish Government clarifies its position on car parking charges, it is vital that new policies do not pile another cost burden on workers who can ill afford it after years of stagnant wages.
‘Nobody should have to pay a premium to work, least of all when they are serving the and we trust that public servants will not have to pay for parking policy changes.’
Bosses at Edinburgh and Glasgow councils have confirmed they plan to introduce a workplace parking charge when they receive the powers to do so.
Earlier this week, the teachers’ union – Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) – and the GMB union condemned the SNP’s plans for a parking tax.
The levy could see firms across Scotland facing a charge of £413 per year for each parking space.
This tax can be passed on to employees, with VAT added on, meaning workers would face a charge of nearly £500 a year.
The EIS has called for teachers to receive a salary supplement if they are forced to pay for parking spaces at work, with the GMB blasting ‘metropolitan politicians’ for supporting a levy which will hit the lowest paid workers.
Scottish Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘The SNP’s car park tax will hit the poorest workers hardest.
‘This latest criticism of the tax simply demonstrates the growing opposition to this tax, much of it from the SNP themselves.
‘No one should have to pay £500 for going to work, the SNP must abandon it now.’
It has emerged that companies which fail to comply with the SNP’s workplace tax could be hit with fines of more than £200 per day per space.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The parking levy would be introduced at the discretion of local authorities, based on circumstances, so many predicted costs are purely speculation at this point.’ Stephen Daisley – Pages 16-17