5th April 2017
The SNP government has channelled millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash to Amazon since 2007.
Now figures released by Scottish Enterprise, Scotland's economic development agency, show that Amazon has benefited from more that £3.6million of taxpayer grants since the nationalists came to power.
Amazon has hit the headlines in recent months for poor working conditions.
Despite this – these taxpayer grants were not conditional on paying the living wage.
Why does this matter?
Low pay is growing in Scotland. The number of Scots paid less than the real living wage has increased by 70,000 since 2013.
70 per cent of workers in the accommodation and food service sectors earn less than the real living wage, with 45 per cent in the wholesale and retail trade sector earning less than the real living wage.
People across Scotland urgently need a payrise, but instead their taxes are supporting companies who deliver fair pay.
What would Labour do differently?
We would extend the living wage to more jobs, especially to low pay sectors like retail and hospitality.
We wouldn’t give companies taxpayer funded grants or contracts unless they delivered a living wage guarantee.
We tried to change the law on this a few years ago – but the SNP voted against.
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