Scottish Usdaw Members Speak Out About The Cost Of Living Crisis, With 1 In 4 Food Retail Workers Skipping Meals To Pay Bills

10th August 2022

Retail trade union Usdaw is this weekend campaigning at street stalls across the country calling for the Government to take action to tackle the Tory cost of living crisis.

Usdaw has published statistics from their cost of living survey of over 5,500 retail staff, mainly low-paid key workers who deliver essential services which show that. -

Petrol prices and travel costs impact the ability to get to work for nearly 50% of respondents.

7 in 10 have relied on insecure borrowing and 60% of these are struggling with repayments.

1 in 4 are missing meals every month to be able to pay their bills, this has increased from 1 in 20 last year.

Nearly three-quarters report their mental health is being impacted as a result of financial worries.

Usdaw will be campaigning on George Street, Aberdeen; Kirkgate, Leith Walk, Edinburgh and Tesco Silverburn, Glasgow.

Scottish voices from the cost of living crisis frontline: These are some of the comments Scottish workers shared when responding to Usdaw's survey:

"The anxiety I’ve been having has been life shattering." Retail worker, 23
“Too many threatening letters, I can't cope anymore, there is nothing left to pay them.” Retail worker, 63

“I work and I don’t know why I do, everything I earn goes on surviving. There is no extra for anything, I can’t save, I will never go on holiday, I haven’t bought any clothes in years. It’s not living, it’s existing.” Delivery driver, 38

“It can be a decision between fuel/heating/pet food and whether I have a proper meal. Should not have to worry about things like this in this day and age.” Retail worker, 59

“Right now I'm struggling mentally with rising prices and four young dependants to feed, clothe and keep roof over their heads. I fight my mental health every day so I can make sure my kids can't see me struggle. I often skip meals to make sure I have enough cash left to make sure they have enough snacks and drinks for school break.” Retail worker, 29

“I do worry about the energy price cap rising again in October. I now keep heating to bare minimum and switch off all sockets at night, I also don’t use mains powered lights in evening rather battery operated ones.” Retail worker, 46

Paddy Lillis - Usdaw General Secretary says: “It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from Scottish workers who are in the main key workers that we rely on for essential services. Usdaw’s recent cost of living survey of over 5,500 lays bare the struggle low-paid workers are experiencing just to make ends meet.

“Many respondents talked of how increased fuel prices were leading them to cut down on shifts, to ask for a transfer to a store closer to home or even to consider leaving work altogether. Worryingly, cutting down on food and skipping meals was also a common theme, as well as taking steps to reduce non-work related travel to save on fuel costs, such as visiting family or pursuing leisure activities.

“These are the very real experiences of essential workers who were clapped during the pandemic and now seem to be forgotten. The Government has offered only sticking plasters that go nowhere near covering rising prices and bills, so there needs to be significant increases in minimum wage rates and fundamental reforms to end insecure work.

“Usdaw is calling for a new deal for workers, with minimum wage rates of at least £12 per hour as a step towards £15 for all workers. The pandemic clearly demonstrated just how reliant the country is on the lowest paid workers, so if we are to truly ‘build back better’ surely these essential workers deserve the dignity of decent pay.”

Usdaw’s New Deal for Workers calls for:

· Minimum wage of at least £12 per hour as a step towards £15 for all workers, ending rip-off youth rates.

· Minimum contract of 16 hours per week, for everyone who wants it, that reflects normal hours worked and a ban on zero-hour contracts.

· Better sick pay for all workers, from day one, at average earnings.

· Protection at work, respect for shopworkers, abuse is not a part of the job.

· Proper social security system, Universal Credit does not provide an effective safety net.

· Job security, with day one employment rights for unfair dismissal and significant improvements to redundancy protections.

· Fair treatment and equality for all workers, including equal pay.

· Voice at work, stop rogue employers refusing to engage with trade unions and end ‘fire and rehire’.