Resident Glaswegian readers will be familiar with the expression ‘give it laldy’, meaning give it all you have, give it your best shot.

Well in the cut-throat world of supermarkets I reckon one store is giving it laldy in advancing its sales and market share but also, and crucially for me, in its treatment of staff.

I was thoroughly impressed to read a big newspaper advert for Aldi which wasn’t punting turkey and stuffing prices but lauded its pay rates for staff…… Brilliant!

The supermarket sector is notorious for low pay among staff. It always enrages me to read about Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons (the ‘big 4’ beasts in the supermarket jungle with a 71.6% share of the sales market) bleating on about reduced sales and profits ‘only’ in the region of hundreds of millions while the bosses of all 4 are on astronomical salaries but the majority of their front-line staff have to rely on tax credits and other state benefits to survive.

In other words we, the ordinary taxpayers, effectively subsidise these massive supermarket chains by topping up the low wages they pay their staff.

How refreshing it is then to read the Aldi advert yesterday, with a Which? Magazine seal of approval, which read; “Aldi trumps rivals to become UK top paying supermarket”. Excellent. A supermarket making a virtue out of paying above the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended rate of £8.25 an hour by 1st February next year. They promise to pay £8.40 an hour and paid breaks.

It made me smile to read of a company boasting about how it’s outstripping its rivals in pay rates for staff while only commanding a tiny 5.6% of the market share in the sector.

The obvious question is if a German owned company can pay above the Living Wage Foundation recommended rate of £8.25 an hour why can’t the giant stores with bigger market shares and bigger profits?

The answer of course is greed and lack of concern for the ordinary staff who work damn hard day after day in often monotonous and repetitive jobs. The fat cat bosses get bumper pay and bonus packages but the frontline staff get taken for granted.

With increased choice on our high streets and better knowledge of the employment practices of the grocery and retail stores I for one advocate more choosy or ethical shopping. Especially when the prices in question are within your reach. If more people shop in the stores that pay better wages and let it be known that one of the factors in their choice is indeed pay rates and employment conditions we can all help make working life within the supermarket sector, and others, a more rewarding and fulfilling experience. Sure trade unions have a big role to play in defending and advancing worker’s rights but conscientious consumers can also help.

So I say well done Aldi. More power to your elbow, to use another Glesga saying.

WHAT’S A GAL TO DO?

Nothings good for you it seems nowadays. Tea, coffee, butter, red meat, sugar, saccharin, too much exercise, very little exercise, red wine, white wine, beer…… dearie me, I could go on and on.

Yet again, new statistics are condemning the government guide lines on safe alcohol limits. Seemingly they are too low.

That’s the thing these days, one day it’s safe to have a glass of red wine along with a well done steak then the next day its tantamount to suicide.

Something is always going to be bad for you……that’s why we like it. I have to read the latest report now…….over a glass of wine!!!