MP backs union in bid to protect staff from abuse
LLANELLI MP Nia Griffith joined shop workers and their Usdaw trade union representatives at Llanelli’s Tesco Extra store to mark Respect for Shop Workers Week.
The campaign by trade union Usdaw aims to highlight the growing problem of violence against shop workers.
Ms Griffith said “Enough is enough. Bad behaviour towards shop workers is not a new phenomenon, but it has reached epidemic proportions since the start of lockdown in March 2020.
“I know that the overwhelming majority of people agree that there is no excuse for anyone taking out their frustration on shop workers, but the fact of the matter is nine out of 10 shop workers have experienced verbal abuse, with one in 10 actually being physically abused.
“Behind these shocking statistics are real people, mams and dads, sons and daughters, who are just doing their job and should not have to face any kind of abuse when doing so.
“To tackle the problem, I really want to see the wording of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, spell out that it is a specific offence to assault a shop worker, and make it more straightforward to prosecute and punish people who behave in this disgraceful way.”
The MP added: “Together with my Labour colleagues, I will be supporting this, but to get through Parliament we need the Prime Minister and his Tory MPs to do likewise.
“That’s why I’m pleased to support Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Campaign and why we must do absolutely everything in our power to protect shop workers and to instil respect for the work that they do, especially during Covid-19.”
Usdaw said that every minute of the working day a shop worker is verbally abused, threatened with violence or physically attacked.
The targeted campaign has seen the union work with the public, retail employers, the police and with the Government to protect retail workers from violence and abuse.
The results of last year’s Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Survey showed that 79% of shop workers said that abuse was worse last year, while 88% said they had experienced verbal abuse, 60% were threatened by a customer and 9% were assaulted.