Workers at Sarwar family firm 'all paid real living wage'

Katrine Bussey & Neil Pooran & Peter A Walker

27 May 2024 at 2:41 am·2-min read

All workers at a firm linked to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar are paid at least the real living wage, union chiefs have insisted.

A spokesman for the trade union Usdaw said the most recent pay negotiations at United Wholesale Scotland - the firm started by the Labour MSP’s father - had resulted in a deal that “delivered an income higher than the real living wage for all employees”.

The union issued a statement after the Scottish Labour leader said he did “not believe that every single staff member is on the real living wage”.

However Sarwar, who was speaking on BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show, said he was aware there had been “significant increases in the wage after negotiations with Usdaw, their trade union”.

His comments came as he was questioned on Labour plans to improve conditions for workers, which the party says will boost incomes at the same time as “ensuring workplace rights are fit for a modern economy”.

While Sarwar is not involved in United Wholesale, his wife is a shareholder in the firm.

An Usdaw spokesman said afterwards: “Usdaw has a trade union recognition agreement with United Wholesale Scotland and we negotiate on pay with the company.

“In our last negotiation we agreed a pay deal that delivered an income higher than the real living wage for all employees.”

Sarwar’s comments had earlier sparked criticism from his political rivals, with the SNP accusing him of “hypocrisy”, while the Conservatives said the Scottish Labour leader had been left in a “humiliating position”.

Labour previously accused the SNP of using workers on “exploitative zero-hours contracts” to deliver leaflets during last year’s Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election campaign.

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