Unanimous backing for shop worker protection laws
New laws aimed at increasing protections for shop workers have been backed unanimously by MSPS.
The legislation, proposed by Scottish Labour MSP Daniel Johnson, would make attacking a shop work era specific offence. Abuse or assault s related to the sale of an age - restricted product or service such as alcohol or tobacco would also be an aggravating factor in law and attract higher penalties, if the bill is passed.
“When we ask people to uphold the law, they should have the specific protection of the law,” Mr Johnson said, citing similar principles for emergency service workers, customs and border staff.
He added :“Shop workers provide a vital front line service. And while the pandemic has brought new insight into the critical role played by these workers, the reality is that they always have done.
“They keep us safe, they uphold the law. Let’s take this opportunity to ensure that they have the protection of the law, it is the very least we owe them for their vital public work.”
Mr Johnson said that the lock down“undoubtedly brought into sharp focus” the need for additional protection, with research from the Usdaw trade union suggesting abuse, threats and violent incidents doubled during the pandemic.
He added that almost 70 per cent of retail workers say that en forcing social distancing has been the biggest cause of abuse and violence at work, according to a poll by the union.
“That is completely unacceptable,” Mr Johnson said.
“Violence, threats and abuse are simply not just part of the job for anyone, whether you work behind a desk or behind a shop counter, but it should not have taken the pandemic to provide this insight.”
Community safety minister Ash Denham said the Scottish Government would be backing the Member’s Bill, subject to certain changes. She said that evidence demonstrated the level of verbal abuse and threatening behaviour people were exposed to.
“Let me be really clear, this type of criminal conduct is absolutely unacceptable and perpetrators should be held to account,” she said.
Ms Denham explained that she wants parts of the proposed bill making hindering and obstructing staff in their duties an offence to be dropped, arguing it would “set too low of a threshold for criminal sanctions”.
Both Liam Kerr( Conservative) and Andy Wight man (Green) backed Mr Johnson’s proposal.