DUMBARTON’s MSP has backed a trade union and Scottish Retail Consortium calls for retail staff to be recognised as “key workers”.

In the USDAW joint letter, they called on workers in sub-sectors of retail who have childcare responsibilities to be able to access suitable provision for their children so they can continue to work.

Currently, Wales, England and Northern Ireland based retail workers already benefit from such recognition, and MSP Jackie Baillie has called for the same in Scotland.

Ms Baillie said: “Retail workers are going above and beyond at this incredibly challenging time.

“They deserve our huge thanks for ensuring food supplies are available, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable, and they need the full support of the Scottish Government.

“We can’t have a situation where retail staff are considered key workers in every part of the UK other than Scotland.

“I urge the Scottish Government to end the postcode lottery and respond positively to the request from USDAW and the Scottish Retail Consortium.”

In response, a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “Shop and supermarket workers across Scotland are working round the clock to help ensure food and essential items remain available for sale and we applaud their hard work in this unprecedented situation.

“As we have set out, we are working with local authority partners to identify as quickly as possible which jobs will receive key worker designation.”