SCOTTISH Labour leadership hopeful Anas Sarwar’s business interests are coming under further scrutiny after his family’s cash and carry refused to say if it recognises trade unions.
A law firm representing United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd said because the query was “politically motivated,” the company “declines to comment”.
It follows criticism of the company for failing to pay staff members the real living wage, despite Sarwar backing the hourly rate of £8.45 in parliament. Staff at the family business are paid £7.50 an hour for a 45-hour week.
According to company accounts, UWS was worth around £11.6m in 2015, which means Sarwar, who is not a director but who has a minority shareholding, has a £2.5m stake in the company,
A spokesman for Sarwar said: “Anas is a member of Unite and a strong supporter of the vital work that trade unions do. Any questions regarding UWS must be directed to the company.”
On Tuesday, The Herald asked whether UWS recognises trade unions.
In a letter yesterday from solicitors acting for UWS, the law firm stated: “Our client takes the view that the line of inquiry being pursued is politically motivated rather than truly focusing on workers’ rights.
“In the circumstances, our client declines to comment further.”
UWS, which reported a turnover of £227m in 2015 and made a post-tax profit of £1.7m, had a monthly average of 253 employees in the same year.
Companies do not have to recognise unions, although a union can apply for compulsory recognition.
On procurement, Labour’s General Election manifesto said the party would require companies supplying national and local government to meet the “high standards we should expect of all businesses”, including “recognising trade unions”.
The party also promised to roll out “sectoral collective bargaining” on the grounds that the “most effective way to maintain good rights at work is collectively through a union”. An SNP spokesman said: “Public figures cannot just clam up when legitimate questions are being raised about their business interests.
“Anas Sarwar’s silence on workers’ rights is untenable.”
Newspaper columnist and activist Owen Jones, one of Jeremy Corbyn’s biggest fans, tweeted: “Sorry, but a Labour politician really does have to clarify whether their family firm recognises trade unions.”
Sarwar has also been criticised over the decision to send his children to a £10,000-a-year private school.
Last night he launched his campaign in the Gorbals, part of Nicola Sturgeon’s Holyrood constituency.
Sarwar said that under him, Labour would be “parking our tanks” on the First Minister’s lawn.
“This campaign is not just about electing a Labour leader, it’s about electing the next Labour First Minister.
‘‘We need a Labour government, because the sad reality is that the three most important letters for Nicola Sturgeon are SNP. But for me, the three most important letters will always be NHS.”
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