MSPs are asked to back shop workers’ bill
MSPs have been urged to back a Bill to give greater protection to shopworkers from abuse and violence. The boss of the Co-op has written to MSPs asking them to vote for the bill in Holyrood today.
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson has taken the Protection of Workers Bill through the parliament and it reaches its third and final stage today. If a majority of MSPs vote to pass it there will be a new offence of assaulting, threatening, abusing, obstructing or hindering a retail worker who is doing their job.
If the offence is committed because the worker is applying an age-restriction, by asking for proof of age, for goods including alcohol or tobacco, it will count as aggravation, potentially making the offence more serious.
Derek Furnival, managing director of the Co-op, said:
“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our colleagues who work tirelessly within communities to provide essential food and groceries – and never more so than over the past 10 months.
“We strongly support Mr Johnson’s proposed bill and believe that any law would make Co-op colleagues in Scotland feel safer and more protected as they go about their daily working lives.
“We hope the country’s MSPs will do the right thing tomorrow by voting in support of this bill.”
Staff have faced a bigger threat since the lockdown as shopworkers’ union Usdaw estimates that instances of violence, threats and abuse have doubled since March.
Mr Johnson said: “We all owe a great debt to retail workers and I am delighted that my bill has the backing of members from across the political spectrum.
“The Scottish Parliament has the chance to stand up for working people by making my bill law.”