Usdaw represents more than 37,000 members in Scotland, in sectors including retail, distribution, road transport, food manufacturing, which are essential to Scotland’s economic success. Full letter to the First Minister: www.usdaw.org.uk/FMLetter

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The cost of living crisis is, unsurprisingly, the foremost current concern for many Usdaw members. Our most recent survey found that one in five retail and distribution workers were missing meals every month to pay their everyday bills. Low paid workers with insecure contracts are being hit hardest by this crisis, and it is therefore having a disproportionate impact on women, Black workers and disabled workers across Scotland.

“Now, more than ever, it is essential for the Scottish Government to take meaningful action to support fair work across Scotland and we urge the new First Minister to make this a priority. With RPI inflation rising to 13.8% last month, it is clear that the cost of living crisis is far from over. We are calling on the Scottish Government to extend the rent increase cap beyond 1 April, protect renters from eviction and take all possible steps to get essential living costs back under control.”

Tracy Gilbert – Usdaw Regional Secretary for Scotland says: “Usdaw has been closely involved in the Scottish Government’s industry leadership group for retail and I chair the working group that is developing a fair work agreement for retail. We hope that the Scottish Government will continue to engage with workers and employers to deliver their fair work agenda across all sectors in Scotland, including retail. We are clear that our members need more than warm words, they need decisive action from the Scottish Government to give workers a better deal.”

Notes for editors:

Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 350,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk

For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion