Scots have worked 130 million hours of unpaid overtime, amounting to a loss of £1.9 billion in wages in just a year, Scottish Labour has said.

The party's analysis of the 2021 Annual Population Survey has revealed that Scottish workers complete an average of 8.1 hours of unpaid overtime per week.

And if each hour was paid at the average hourly pay rate, workers in Scotland would be entitled to almost £2 billion extra in wages.

The average hourly earnings for private sector employees in April 2022 was £13.49 per hour, while public sector workers received an average of £17.71.

Meanwhile, statistics also show fewer workers in Scotland earn below the real living wage compared with their counterparts in the rest of the UK.

Some 80 million hours of unpaid overtime was in the private sector in 2021, while 50 million was from public sector workers.

Unpaid overtime increased since 2020, where there were 100 million hours worked, and an average of 7.7 hours per week.

Daniel Johnson, Labour's finance spokesman, said Scotland must ditch its reliance on unpaid overtime.

He said: "Scotland's workers are the lifeblood of our economy - but these statistics plainly show that they are missing out on a fair day's pay.

"It is simply wrong that our economy is so reliant on unpaid overtime.

"With Scottish workers bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, it is clear that action needs to be taken to ensure they get the wages they are entitled to.

"The people of Scotland should be receiving the full fruits of their labour, not missing out on millions of pounds.

"It's time to put fair work at the heart of our economy and end this rough deal for Scotland's workers."

While workers are carrying out unpaid overtime, figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) revealed that just 9% of employees in Scotland earn less than £9.90 per hour.

The real living wage has since been increased to £10.90.

Yet an average of 12.2% of workers across Britain do not earn the real living wage, with 11.8% in Wales, 12.5% in England and 14.6% in Northern Ireland.

SNP MSP Bob Doris welcomed the data but noted that more work is needed to increase the number of workers receiving the real living wage.

The number of workers in Scotland earning the increased rate sits at 91%, according to the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

It is an increase from 85.5% in 2021 and the highest proportion since the survey began in 2012.

Mr Doris said: "These figures show how Scotland is already leading the way in ensuring ensuring that workers across the country receive fair pay, but we can do more to build a fairer, more equal Scotland as an independent country.

"Workers across Scotland are facing one of the most difficult winters in living memory with the rising Tory cost-of-living crisis meaning everyone is forced to tighten their belts over the festive period.

"That is why it is very encouraging to see that workers across Scotland will have a bit extra in their pockets.

"Although the figures are encouraging, there is more work to be done and I would ask all employers to pay their employees not just the minimum wage but the living wage so their employees have a better standard of living.

"Wage packets are seeing an incredible squeeze this year because of the Tory cost-of-living crisis and the only way Scotland can escape and build a fairer, more equal country is with independence."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "While employment law is reserved, we are clear that all employees must be paid fairly for the work they do.

"That is why the Scottish Government continues to support payment of, at least, the real living wage to build a more resilient economy, a more equal labour market, and foster inclusive growth.

"Scotland has the highest proportion of jobs in the UK paying at least the real living wage or more and proportionately there are five times more accredited living wage employers in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

"Through our Fair Work First policy, the Scottish Government has consistently called for employers in all sectors to provide workers with a fair and equitable wage for the work they do along with safe and secure working environments.

"We also call for employers to promote diverse and inclusive workplace cultures where staff are engaged and have their voices heard.

"From July 1, 2023, all public sector grants will include a requirement to pay at least the real living wage to all employees, and provide appropriate channels for effective voice.

"We will publish updated Fair Work First guidance early in 2023 to support the adoption of this new requirement."