LABOUR’S candidate for Govan has promised to pay staff at his luxury city centre hotel the Glasgow Living Wage after he was accused of “scandalous” treatment of workers by a trade union.
Last week, Imran Alam’s Brunswick Hotel posted a recruitment advert for a part-time night porter, promising to pay only the national minimum wage, which, from Friday, will be just £9.50 an hour for over 23s.
However, the Glasgow Living Wage - introduced by Labour in 2009 - is set to rise to £9.90 an hour on Friday.
Bryan Simpson from Unite Hospitality said: “For any employer to be advertising a night-shift role, let alone one requiring extensive skills and experience, at the minimum wage is unacceptable, but for that employer to be a Labour Party candidate is scandalous.
“The Scottish Labour Party fully supports our Fair Hospitality Charter which includes paying workers the real living wage, providing guaranteed hours rather than zero-hour contracts and a pro-active sexual harassment policy.”
Dan Hutchison, the Green candidate for Govan, said: “40p an hour may not seem a lot to a landlord and hotelier like Mr Alam but for hospitality workers who have been shafted throughout the pandemic, that could be the difference between heating and eating on a weekly basis.”
After The Herald approached Mr Alam and Labour, the party said the salary would be increased.
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “When this advert was brought to Mr Alam’s attention it was removed. The advertised role will be paid at the Glasgow Living Wage.”
Glasgow City Council was the first local authority to commit to paying staff the living wage. Employers throughout the city were encouraged by the then Labour administration to follow suit. Over 400 firms have since signed up.
However, it’s been a sore point for business owning Labour politicians in the city.
Anas Sarwar’s unsuccessful leadership campaign in 2017 was dominated by questions over the conditions for staff at his family’s company.
Workers at the hugely-profitable United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd, were also paid the national minimum wage, rather than the living wage
At the time, Mr Sarwar said he was only a minority shareholder and played “no active part in the running of the company.”
“I strongly believe all companies should pay the real living wage, and have received assurances that UWS has an ambition and desire to pay it,” he said in a statement.
However, the cash-and-carry, which last year reported a 22 per cent increase in profits after tax, up from £1.8m to £2.2m, is still not listed on the Glasgow Living Wage website’s list of Living Wage employers.
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