ANAS Sarwar has been branded a hypocrite after it was revealed his family’s wholesale business still does not pay staff the living wage.
Sarwar relinquished all of his shares in United Wholesale (Scotland) six years ago after criticism of its wage policies, but his wife, mother and children all continue to benefit from the profits of the firm.
Sarwar said in 2017 he had received assurances his family company wanted to transition to a “real living wage” for employees, but one role recently advertised by the firm requires someone to work a minimum of 45 hours per week between Monday and Saturday as a forklift operator with pay of just £10.58 per hour.
This is below the Scottish Living Wage - which is estimated to be £10.90 – and only 16p per hour over the minimum wage.
The Scottish Conservatives have accused Sarwar of hypocrisy, saying it is an embarrassment for him after he had consistently highlighted his party’s plans to ensure businesses pay the real living wage.
He told the BBC’s Sunday Show: “As part of a new deal for working people that includes ending the scandal of fire and re-hire, giving employment rights from day one and lifting the minimum wage so that people have a real living wage across the country.”
Tory MSP Annie Wells told The Scotsman: “It’s time that Anas Sarwar practised what he preaches.
“The Scottish Labour leader made a point of reiterating his party’s commitment to delivering a real living wage for Scots workers in a BBC interview – yet his own family business is advertising for staff on a lower rate of pay.
“There’s a word for that: hypocrisy. It is deeply embarrassing for Anas Sarwar that he and his family are personally benefitting from the very behaviour he is vowing to stamp out.”
Earlier this year it emerged that Sarwar’s household had received almost a quarter of a million pounds in share dividends since Sarwar gave up his holding in the firm.
In 2017, Sarwar – who is not personally involved in the day-to-day running of the business - defended his family’s firm for not paying the real living wage on the grounds that it was “voluntary”.
